Mysuru: Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah taunted Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna who had asserted that the saffron party would win the Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls which they eventually lost.
He also referred to their claims that the bypoll results would be an indicator of trends in the 2018 Assembly polls and said this meant the BJP would not come to power after the 2018 assembly elections. The Chief Minister was addressing people after inaugurating Rs 1100 crore worth developmental projects at Malavalli on Thursday.
BJP protest
Meanwhile, BJP workers and farmers who submitted memorandums to waive farm loans, protested by showing black flags. Responding to this, Mr Siddaramaiah said, “800 nationalised banks have given Rs 42,000 crore loans to farmers. Co-operative banks have given only 22 percent of the loans. We can waive farm loans taken from co-operative banks but loans taken from nationalised banks have to be waived by the Central government. When I took a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the loan waiver, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were tight-lipped. Instead of misguiding people, let B.S. Yeddyurappa (BJP state president) get the loans waived by the Centre. We have given instructions to authorities at banks to extend the loan recovery period and not issue notices to farmers. Action will be initiated if they issue notices,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.
After dropping the Chief Minister in Mysuru, the helicopter which was heading to Bengaluru had to return to Mysuru due to a severe storm and rain.
Ministers D.K. Shivakumar, M.B. Patil and T.B. Jaychandra were in the helicopter. They later returned to Bengaluru by road.
The Chief Minister also visited his cabinet colleague and Public Works Minister Dr H.C. Mahedevappa who is admitted to Apollo hospital and wished him on his birthday. Mr Siddaramaiah said, “Since he had travelled extensively during the Nanjangud bypolls, he has a blood clot in the foot. He is being treated and is doing well,” he said.
