CM will last full term: HC Mahadevappa

Belagavi: Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied any rift between some senior leaders of his party and the CM while asserting that Mr Siddaramaiah is set to complete his term due to everyone's support in the party.

At a press conference in Belagavi soon after meeting officials of PWD at Suvarna Soudha on Monday, Dr Mahadevappa said no senior leader had ever met the party high command in New Delhi seeking a change of guard in the state. “The CM enjoys support of all party leaders and any leader of the party is free to meet the CM at any time. It is not fair to speculate that some seniors have differences with the CM,” he added.

He said under CM’s leadership, all leaders of the party were united and the Congress party is certain of coming to power for the next term as well. Commenting on the rampant sand-mining cases being registered in the state despite the government claiming to have initiated measures against it, the minister said, the Congress government had streamlined things to curb stand-mining completely. “We have brought a new policy to stop misuse of sand and have taken measures to stop sand mining across the state,” he added.

He said the PWD released Rs 412.59 crore for major roadworks in Belagavi circle for 2015-16 and Rs 609.91 crore for the previous financial year. An estimated Rs 502.82 crore is being spent on Vijayapura-Hubbali road which stretches across 193 km and has three bypass roads. The department would not only improve the stretch but also widen the existing 7 metre road to 10 metres.

Another major road being developed by PWD in north Karnataka is the one that connects Sankeshwar to Vijayapura. The road which has 11 sugar factories on the route will cost the PWD a whopping Rs 602 crore, according to minister.