‘In Karnataka, there’s no anti-incumbency’

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah on Thursday utilised the special discussion under Section 69 on regional imbalance and north Karnataka development to his advantage to score brownie points.

“There is no ‘anti incumbency’ factor in Karnataka,” he said. “The Congress government has credible performance to face the people. We have ensured all-round development of the State during the last four-and-half years.”

Reeling out statistics and comparing his government’s achievements on the Mahadayi river water sharing dispute with Maharashtra and Goa, and implementation of the Dr Nanjundappa Committee Report on most backward areas verses the previous BJP government’s performance, the CM said: “The Congress government ensured faster pace of development of north Karnataka region, made record allocation of funds during its period in the last four years and made an honest attempt to solve the problems faced by the people of the region.”

Criticising BJP Karnataka president BS Yeddyurappa’s ‘vision’ of winning 150 seats in the coming elections, Siddarmaiah said: “The opposition party will not even touch the 50 mark in the 224-member Assembly.”

Claiming he has the people’s backing for his policies, the CM said the people of north Karnataka and in other parts of the State are convinced of the good performance. “This is evident as there was no anti-incumbency wave in Karnataka,” he added.

Siddarmaiah claimed his government has made record allocations of funds for development of backward regions like Hyderabad-Karnataka (in north-east Karnataka), and has taken proactive steps in various sectors like agriculture, irrigation, health, social welfare, public works department, rural development and education.

Referring to the nagging issue of Khalasa Banduri diversion project to provide 7.56 tmc ft of water from River Mahadayi to a few towns and cities, Siddaramaiah said it can be solved by the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he should call a meeting of the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

His government has taken a lot of effort, but the Goa government is creating road blocks, he said. Despite the Mahadayi Tribunal suggesting to the three States to solve the issue among themselves without a third party, he said the meeting did not come through.

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