Get PM’s consent for project work, HD Kumaraswamy tells BJP leaders

Bengaluru: Criticising the BJP state leadership for ‘politicising’ the Kalasa- Banduri project, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy has indirectly supported the Congress leadership for delay in the implementation of the project.

Addressing reporters here on Monday, he not only went into details of the project since its inception, but also blamed the State BJP leaders for “misleading” people on its implementation. He urged the BJP leaders to prevail upon PM Narendra Modi to give consent to start work on the project subject to the final award of the tribunal on the dispute. The BJP leaders have been unnecessarily blaming Congress president Sonia Gandhi, but in the actual sense it was the then BJP-led NDA government which had stalled the project, Mr. Kumaraswamy said. He condemned the language used by his party legislator Magadi Balakrishna who had criticised leaders for failing to implement the project. “The word used by our MLA is in bad taste, such words should not used against leaders or farmers. I condemn the usage of such a word by our MLA,” he said.

“When I was the Chief Minister of the BJP-JD(S) alliance government, the then minister Jagadish Shettar prevailed upon me to give in principle approval to start the project. I had explained him the technical and legal issues involved in the project, but Mr. Shettar said the BJP was not bothered about implementation of the project but wanted good publicity which would happen if the government gives approval for the project,” he said.