Hubballi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that communal Bharatiya Janata Party is the main rival of the Congress party in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state.
Addressing Sadhana Sambrama function after inaugurating various development works in Haveri on Saturday, he said that Yeddyurappa is a liar and giving false information about the funds utilised by the State government for the irrigation sector.
Stating that his government has spent more than four times money spent by the previous Bharatita Janata Party government, he said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed call meeting of all three States to resolve Mahadayi water dispute despite all party delegation appealed him.
Challenging Yeddyurappa to take part in the open debate with him based on the achievements, he said that people of Karnataka will never support communal party as they have strong belief in the principles of secularism.
‘Waive off farm loans’
Urging the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from the state to get farmers’ loan of nationalised banks waived off by the Union government, the Chief Minister said that Yeddyurappa had expressed inability to do the same when he was Chief Minister after pressure mounted on him.
“There is a water dispute between the governments of neighboring states, not between the political parties. The Goa Chief Minister should have written to me for talks to resolve the issue. Yeddyurappa has read the Goa Chief Minister’s letter at his party’s rally in Hubballi as if he has brought the Mahadayi water to the state, causing great insult to the drought-prone farmers in the region.
Therefore, I have written to the Goa Chief Minister by setting aside prestige issue and tolerating the insult as I have given top priority to find solution to the problems of the farmers,” Siddaramaiah said.
