BENGALURU: After going on Bengaluru rounds on Thursday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday headed out to Vokkaliga heartland Magadi with his cabinet colleagues to inaugurate completed works and lay the foundation stone for developmental projects worth Rs 120 crore.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa accompanied the CM. They had been part of his Bengaluru tour too.
The timing of the events and the absence of Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is on a trip to the US, have raised eyebrows.
Siddaramaiah tried to drive home the point that he was not averse to Vokkaligas, and claimed that the Congress government had given official recognition to Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Jayanti.
He hailed Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna, a Vokkaliga leader, who he said deserves to be minister. “But only 34 MLAs, including the CM, could be inducted into the cabinet. Balakrishna has been proving himself as the best MLA in getting development works implemented. I never said no to any of his proposals,” he stated.
“Magadi is a very important town and should be developed. It was the capital of Kempegowda. When I was CM in 2016-17, Kempegowda Jayanti was declared a holiday by the government, not by those who claimed to be leaders of Vokkaligas,” he said.
Siddaramaiah claimed that his government took up pro-farmer initiatives, including hiking the incentive for milk producers. He took a dig at the opposition BJP, alleging that the saffron party has been spreading false information that there is no money for development after implementing the guarantees. “How come the government earmarked Rs 120 crore for works in Magadi?” he questioned.
He attacked PM Narendra Modi, saying India’s debt had crossed Rs 182 lakh crore in 10 years after he became PM, compared to Rs 53.11 lakh crore in 2014. He said Modi was pro-capitalist as the Central government had waived loans of Rs 16 lakh crore given to industrialists.
Have faith in law and courts: CM
A day after the Karnataka High Court completed hearing and reserved its verdict on his petition challenging the Governor’s sanction for investigation in the MUDA site allotment case, CM Siddaramaiah on Friday said he is confident of getting justice as he has done no wrong.
“I have faith in the law and the courts of this land. I did no wrong and won’t do in future too. My political life of 40 years is like an open book. I am in power for the poor,” the Chief Minister added.