Date:02/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/02/stories/2008070256920400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

JD(S) opts out of team

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister attempting to mislead people: Kumaraswamy

Bangalore: The Janata Dal (Secular) will not join the all-party delegation led by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Ministers in Delhi.

The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and State party president N. Merajuddin Patel told presspersons here on Tuesday that with the State having received adequate stock of fertilisers in June, it would be improper for a delegation to call on the Prime Minister and complain about short supply. “Taking an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister is a serious matter and has to be done only on valid grounds,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

The Chief Minister was attempting to mislead the people by leading a delegation to Delhi. “It is to serve as a cover-up for the failures and misdeeds of the Government,” he charged.

‘Statistics available’

The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, with information provided by the Fertilizer Ministry, had already provided the statistics on the fertilizer supplies received by the State Government. “I fail to understand why the BJP Government is keen on a showdown with the Union Government,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

It was also strange that all the Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers had begun talking about the ‘Gujarat model’ of administration. “Is it to indicate that we have lost our wisdom and the cutting edge in administration that the State has been known for for nearly a century? If required, the JD(S) will also send a committee to Gujarat to study what the BJP leaders in Karnataka have been extolling about Gujarat,” he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy challenged the Chief Minister to prove that the State had not received adequate supplies of fertilizer and said the JD(S) would move a privilege motion in the next session of the legislature against the Chief Minister and officials who had sought to mislead the people.

‘No substance’

He said the points, including fertilizer supply, that Mr. Yeddyurappa wanted to discuss with the Prime Minister had no substance. With regard to the reimbursement of Rs. 1,750 crore given to cooperative institutions for the farm loan waiver, Mr. Kumaraswamy said Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had already stated that a part of the amount would be reimbursed shortly.

On granting classical status to Kannada, the former Chief Minister said he was sure that the Centre was considering both Telugu and Kannada for the purpose.