BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said he was ready to accept the Opposition’s challenge for an open debate on the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) at any time and on any platform.
The DCM, who was attending the Vokkaliga Expo in Bengaluru on Sunday, said, “Let them call. I will come for the discussion.’’ When asked about Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s reactions to the development, he said it would be good if HDK fights it out with him first.
“BJP state president, Leader of the Opposition, Kumaraswamy or any leaders who want to come, can come. I have accepted their challenge. It can be a public platform, the Assembly or a media forum. I am ready for the debate,” he said.
Shivakumar said he knows how much work has been done under MGNREGA in Kanakapura taluk. “Kanakapura has been ranked Number 1 in MGNREGA implementation and the BJP-led Central government itself has given an award for it. I don’t know whether Kumaraswamy, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi or Vijayendra are aware of this. The Centre has even sent 10 teams to probe for any irregularities,” he said.
Reacting to Kumaraswamy calling Siddaramaiah a “leased chief minister”, the DCM said, “We don’t take his statements seriously. Siddaramaiah himself will respond to those remarks,” he said. When asked about Kumaraswamy’s possible re-entry into state politics, he said, “Let him do politics from the village level.”