Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited ‘jinxed’ Chamarajnagar district for the ninth time after becoming CM on Sunday to inaugurate the JSS Hospital and launch the silver jubilee celebrations of JSS College.
“Many CMs were hesitant to visit Chamarajnagar. Vatal Nagaraj (former MLA) was scared that he would lose power and prevented late J.H. Patel from going to Chamarajnagar. I have no such fear,” he said.
He added, “In fact my position has become stronger after visiting this place. I had visited Chamarajnagar as Deputy CM, now after completing four years as CM, I am starting my fifth year in Chamarajnagar again,” Siddaramaiah said. “We will allot funds to start a law college at Chamarajnagar in the coming budget. We are planning to come up with either an agriculture university or an agriculture college in Chamarajnagar district,” he said.
Vatal Nagaraj who was present, lamented that there are no toilets on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway to which Siddaramaiah replied in a lighter vein, “When we are worried over drinking water, Vatal is thinking of toilets. We have resolved to make Karnataka open defecation free, we have a target of building 58 lakh toilets of which, we have built 28 lakh toilets and the remaining 27 lakh will be in place by October,” he said. Speaking at the Bhageeratha Jayanthi celebrations at Nanjangud, he said his government will start residential schools in 749 hoblis to help the poor and backward class communities.
The Chief Minister said, “People say I am pro-Ahinda Jagadish Shettar of the BJP says I am against Brahmins, Lingayats and Vokkaligas. I have no hesitation to accept the fact that I am pro-Ahinda, but I am not against other communities, ours is an inclusive government,” he said.
