Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the State Election Commission hurriedly announcing the reservation list for zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat posts.
Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Eshwarappa said that the State Cabinet held a meeting in this regard and also wrote to the Election Commission requesting it too postpone the announcement of reservation fearing the further spread of COVID-19, but the Election Commission turned down the government’s request.
“The State government had no other motive in seeking postponement of the poll process but people in rural areas have been affected the most due to the pandemic; however, the government is ready to conduct the poll exercise anytime,” the Minister said.
Rumours
Accusing the Opposition parties of spreading rumours about change of leadership in the State, Mr. Eshwarappa said that Congress leader Siddaramaiah is under the illusion of becoming the chief minister again. The other leaders in the Congress, including KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar representing Vokkaliga community, G. Parameshwara from Scheduled Castes, M.B. Patil representing the Lingayat community and Tanveer Sait from the minority, are also daydreaming of becoming chief minister. They all seem to be looking for a black cat in a dark room where none exists, he added.
“The Congress will never come to power in the State, as people have rejected Siddaramaiah (he was defeated in his home constituency Chamundeshwari in the 2018 Assembly elections),” Mr. Eshwarappa remarked.
Reacting to the remarks made by Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad that BJP leaders are trained in “Nagpur University”, a reference to the RSS, the Minister said: “We are proud to be trained in Nagpur University [RSS]” and asked the Congress leaders “whether they are trained in ‘Italy University’.”
The Minister also clarified that ₹1,200 crore funds sanctioned to take up works under Rural Development and Panchayat Raj that was directly transferred to legislators has been allocated to the department.
Mr. Eshwarappa said that he will visit Delhi on July 12 to meet Union Minister for Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) to discuss water resources management and Jal Jeevan Mission in rural areas.
