B.S. Yeddyurappa, president of the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) and former Chief Minister, said on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party government had “put the clock back as far as development is concerned”.
Addressing a party workers’ meeting here, he said: “during my term in office, I initiated steps for the overall development of the State. Karnataka was among the top two States as far as development and pro-people welfare schemes were concerned. Unfortunately, after I stepped down, the two Chief Ministers who succeeded me have put the clock back with regard to development. Today, the State ranks ninth or tenth,” he said.
Criticising the Jagadish Shettar government, he said it had performed poorly. “Mr. Shettar has failed to protect the State’s interests on the Cauvery issue. The government has not spent over 40 to 50 per cent of the budgetary allocations. As Chief Minister, I pooled all the resources, plugged loopholes and presented a Rs. 1 lakh crore budget, besides spending a lot on the welfare of the people,” he said. He exhorted party workers and people, especially the youth, to compare his administration with those of the former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Mr. Shettar. “Regional parties are essential to protect the State’s interests,” he added.
