Bengaluru: In another shocker, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said he was at the mercy of Rahul Gandhi and not the people of the State. Addressing irate farmers on the issue of loan waiver here, he said he was helpless as it was Rahul Gandhi who made him sit on the CM’s chair and not the people of Karnataka. Had the people of Karnataka given him a clear majority, a decision on loan waiver would have been taken in a jiffy.
In a way, he indicated that key issues like loan waiver and cabinet expansion were stuck on the table of Rahul Gandhi and his party managers in-charge of Karnataka. The CM had invited farmers to discuss the issue of loan waiver, but he refused to give any categorical commitment on the issue saying that the Congress too has to agree on this. But the agitated farmers shouted him down saying that he is the CM because of their mercy and not because of Rahul Gandhi or anyone else. They also told him that they had come to get an assurance on loan waiver and not for a political `bhashan”.
At one point of time, HDK lost his cool. He took the mike in his hands and said that he needs time to decide on the loan waiver issue and that he will not run away in 15 days’ time. The BJP too attended the all-party meeting, but the party’s representative was shouted down by the farmers who wanted to know what Narendra Modi was doing on the issue of loan waiver.
Without a cabinet in place for a week, HDK again pleaded for time saying that ministry formation is a big exercise when there are coalition partners. But lack of governance was out in the open with the coastal city of Mangaluru knee deep in water due to a torrential downpour with sharks and snakes sharing flooded roads with panic-stricken people.
Rescue and relief operations were carried out by bureaucrats and not the government in power. Bengaluru too was flooded and rain water and snakes entered many houses in a few areas. Again, there was no minister for Bengaluru to take care of relief operations. Meanwhile, reports indicated that the Congress is willing to give the finance portfolio to HDK provided all other key portfolios like Home, Revenue, PWD, Power, Irrigation and Education are given it.