Karnataka - Bangalore   

‘We are as solid as a rock’

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

A milestone: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa with his ministerial colleagues Umesh Katti, C.M. Udasi, V.S. Acharya and Katta Subramanya Naidu celebrating the BJP Government’s completion of one year in office in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa on Saturday said there was no threat to his Government and that it would complete its full five-year term.

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who completed his first year in office, told The Hindu that “Operation Lotus” might continue in a different form. “I have nothing to say on that. It should be noted that people from other political parties want to join the BJP.” To a question if he was contemplating a reshuffle of his ministry, the Chief Minister said: “there is no such plan. Senior leaders of the party will have a discussion on this at a later date. It will be a collective decision. I do not foresee any threat to the BJP Government and am confident that we will complete our full term of five years. The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) may attempt to come together and work at dislodging the Government but it will not work. They came together in the Lok Sabha elections and the people have taught them a lesson by giving BJP 19 of the 28 seats. I am grateful to the people of the State.”

On the differences within the BJP, Mr. Yeddyurappa said there were some shortcomings but for which the party would have got more number of (Lok Sabha) seats. “People have voted for the UPA and we have accepted it. L.K. Advani is our leader. My aim was get the maximum number of seats in Karnataka and ensure that he became Prime Minister. I feel sad that the wish could not be fulfilled.”

The Chief Minister said transfers and postings of officials would be pegged to the minimum this year. The focus now was on toning up the administration and sustained development. “The face of Bangalore will change for the better in about a year. And the first phase of the Bangalore Metro Rail will also be commissioned at the earliest”.

With reference to the Centre-State relations in the light of a Congress-led Government taking charge at the Centre, Mr. Yeddyurappa said: “we will have a good understanding with the UPA Government at the Centre. However, I want to draw the attention of the Prime Minister to the shoddy treatment being meted out to Karnataka, particularly in the allocation of funds for power and irrigation projects, the release of money from the National Calamity Fund, the allocation of power to the State from the national grid etc.”

“While Karnataka has been allocated 17 per cent of power generated in the southern grid, Tamil Nadu has been allocated 34 per cent and Andhra Pradesh 32 per cent. The allocation to the State from the National Calamity Fund in the last financial year is Rs. 132 crore while Andhra Pradesh got Rs. 398 crore and Tamil Nadu Rs. 242 crore. In the allocation of Central funds for irrigation projects, Karnataka got only Rs. 323 crore compared to Rs. 1,995 crore to Andhra Pradesh and Rs. 1,170 crore to Maharashtra,” he said.

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