Dy CM Parameshwara meets former CM Siddaramiah at Dharmastala

Mangaluru: Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee president G. Parameshwara met and held consultations with coalition co-ordination committee chairman and former CM Siddaramaiah, who is undergoing treatment, in Dharmasthala on Sunday.

Parameshwara arrived at MIA in the afternoon, travelled to Dharmasthala and visited the Manjunatha Temple there and later met Mr. Siddaramaiah is undergoing treatment at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Yoga and Nature Cure Hospital late in the evening.

Parameshwara told reporters and said, “Any decision regarding coalition government’s budget and farmers’ loan waiver will be finalized only after discussions in coordination committee, which is headed by Siddaramaiah. No decision will be taken individually, either by me or chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.”

“Siddaramaiah had waived farm loans to the tune of Rs 8,165 crore. Chief Minister Kumaraswamy has also met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought sanction to the tune of Rs 50,000 crore to announce complete agriculture loan waiver in the state,” informed Parameshwara.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah’s objections to the new government presenting fresh budget, the Dy. CM clarified,”We will not change any development programmes that Siddaramaiah introduced during his tenure as chief minister. We have decided that all previous schemes will be continued. Hence, there is nothing wrong in the new government presenting a fresh budget.”

“My visit is just a coincidence and there is no special significance to it. Siddaramaiah is our leader and it is our duty to meet him when I visit this place. We, being political leaders, would be discussing various political issues including budget, appointment of heads for corporations and boards and many other issues. I have spoken to him yesterday and he has not expressed any concerns,” explained Parameshwara, to a query on the purpose of his sudden visit to Dharmasthala.