Bengaluru: A teary-eyed HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said while his partymen are happy that their “Anna or Thamma” (brother) has become the chief minister, he’s not happy with the present situation of heading a coalition government which lacked mandate of the people.
At an event organised by the JD(S) to felicitate him for becoming the CM, Kumaraswamy declined to accept bouquets and garlands, and said: “While you may be happy thinking that your Anna or Thamma has become the chief minister, let me tell you that I’m not. I’m swallowing my pain, which is nothing more than poison (of being the CM of a coalition), without sharing it. I’m not happy with the situation.”
Upset with social media posts
The immediate trigger for Kumaraswamy’s emotional speech was “Kumaraswamy is not my CM” statements in the social media—a Kodagu boy’s video stated that the roads in the district have been washed away, but the CM is not worried, and the fishermen from coastal districts too voiced their anger against the CM for failing to waive their loans.
“For the last one month, nobody knows the jugglery I’ve been doing to convince officials to agree to the loan waiver. Now, they want 7kg rice instead of 5kg rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme. From where should I get Rs 2,500 crore for this? I’m criticised for levying taxes. After all this, media write that there’s no clarity in my loan waiver scheme. If I mind, within two hours I can step down from the office,’’ Kumaraswamy said.
The CM said his fate was that wherever he went during elections, people gathered to hear him, but when it came to vote, they forgot him and his party candidates. “God has given me this power (to become CM). He’ll decide how many days I should stay,’’ he added.
“My craving to become the CM of the state was for no other reason, but to do good for the people of this state. It was my dream to fulfil the commitment of my party and complete the unfinished agendas of my father HD Deve Gowda. It was not for grabbing power. However, the assembly election results (winning only 37 seats) suggest that somewhere people do not have confidence in me,” he said.
JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda said he’s worried about his son who’s working for 18 hours a day without rest when his health is not in a good condition.
He referred to the Rs 4,000-crore repayment liability from the Siddaramaiah’s government where farmer loans up to Rs 50,000 crore were waived. He also hinted at the government’s plan to extend loan waiver facility to Sthree Shakti groups.
