Credit for CM's village stay programme goes to entire coalition: DCM Parameshwara

Bengaluru: The credit for Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s ‘Grama Vastavaiya’ (overnight stay in villages) outreach programme goes to the entire coalition government, not JD(S) alone, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said on Monday.

‘Grama Vastavya’ is aimed at taking the administration to the people.

“This is a coalition government, the Chief Minister is not alone for JD(S), he is Chief Minister for the entire state.

If he does grama vastavaiya will it (credit) go only to JD(S)? It will go to entire government,” Parameshwara, who is from the Congress, said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “We are taking the administration to people, it is not taking Janata Dal to people.”

‘Grama Vastavya’ is a popular programme that Kumaraswamy had launched during his first stint as Chief Minister heading the BJP-JD(S) coalition government in 2006-07.

During his previous stint, Kumaraswamy used to spend the nights at villagers’ houses as part of the initiative.

This time, however, he has decided to stay in government schools.

Kumaraswamy did his first grama vastavya of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government at Chandaraki village in Yadgir district on Friday, while the stay at Herur village in Kalaburagi rural taluk on Saturday was postponed in the wake of heavy rain.

He will be in Karegudda in Raichur district on June 26.

Responding to a question about the Congress taking part in the CM’s outreach programme, Parameshwara said, “Our minister and karyakartas were all there, when we do they (JDS workers and leaders) will also come.”

Kumaraswamy had recently said he has asked all his ministers and mlas to do grama vastavaiya separately.

The statement by the deputy chief minister is being seen as an attempt by the Congress to claim credit for the popular programme fearing that it may entirely go to the JD(S) alone.