MYSURU: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy accused the Congress government in Karnataka of failing to convince its INDIA bloc partner DMK on the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
Kumaraswamy said that he will stand by his words of getting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approval for the project within five minutes, provided the Karnataka government prevails upon the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to agree to the project.
Recalling that the Congress came to power in Karnataka in 2023 through a padayatra in the name of Mekedatu, the JDS leader said that the Siddaramaiah government has wasted two years. “How can the project be implemented if they shift the responsibility on me? he asked.Kumaraswamy said that the Congress is jittery after the BJP-JDS entered into an alliance and has started targeting him and his party.
He ridiculed the Congress leaders for claiming that they will return to power in 2028 and advised them to deliver the promises they made ahead of the 2023 polls, as it is the people who will decide who should govern. “How will the people accept the Congress when they are busy fighting for the chair (CM’s post)?” he said.
On RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge’s remarks on banning the RSS, Kumaraswamy said that the former should first come out with a list of his family’s contributions to the Kalyana Karnataka region. “The Congress has been rejected by the people in many states and is battling for its survival. Priyank Kherge is making such a statement to cover up the core issues haunting the state,” Kumaraswamy, a former CM, said.
On Karnataka Agriculture Minister and Nagamangala MLA N Cheluvarayaswamy accusing him of not getting MPLAD funds for Mandya, the JDS leader shot back, saying that the minister should first make public the grants, including CSR funds, that he has got for his constituency.