PM has promised to ‘consider’ State’s request, says Yediyurappa

Chief Minister’s clarification came a day after no public assurances were made by Narendra Modi in response to the demands placed before him

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bengaluru on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded positively to the State’s demands for more funds for flood relief and assistance for development programmes and promised to “consider” them, said Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday.

This clarification from the Chief Minister came after many, including Opposition leaders and farmers’ groups, took exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not responding to the issues raised by Mr. Yediyurappa — particularly on flood relief — at the farmers’ convention in Tumakuru on Thursday.

In a move that left many surprised, the Chief Minister raised the issue of “inadequate” flood relief assistance from the Centre and also sought a special package of ₹50,000 crore for irrigation projects in the State. Mr. Modi, who spoke at the event later, did not respond to any of these requests and spoke largely about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The Chief Minister sought to clarify on the issue and said, “In fact, the Prime Minister spoke to me personally and assured me of all help and suggested I come to New Delhi and meet the Ministers concerned to apprise them about the State’s problems and pending projects. He also directed me to prepare a detailed report on this matter.” This assurance came when they met at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday night, sources said.

Interestingly, Mr. Yediyurappa during his speech on Thursday said he would meet the Prime Minister with a delegation of senior Ministers and the Chief Secretary to make a case for the State’s demands. Mr. Modi, however, was not inclined to meet the entire delegation but met Mr. Yediyurappa and assured him of support to the State, sources close to him said.

Mr. Yediyurappa’s speech at the convention has ruffled feathers within the BJP, as the speech is being interpreted as his attempt to assert himself in the party by publicly expressing “unhappiness” about the Mr. Modi-led Union government’s alleged indifference to the demands of the State. They said it was “unthinkable” for a BJP Chief Minister.

‘Being misinterpreted’

A day later, the Chief Minister sought to downplay the import of his own speech and how it is being interpreted. He claimed that a section of the media had attached motive to his speech which was “plain and honest” in its content.

“Being in a federal set-up, there is nothing wrong in placing the facts before the Prime Minister and making submissions. As a Chief Minister, I placed our State’s problems and need of more funds for the development activities. As it was a farmers’ meet, I felt it worthy and timely to plead the Prime Minister for more funds to all the development activities in the State,” he said in a statement on Friday.