I have a blueprint ready for loan waiver: CM HDK

Bengaluru: Newly sworn-in Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said at his maiden press conference after taking oath on Wednesday, that he would try to make the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular)-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance a “model alliance” in the country. He said that the coalition government will be more stable than the single party government and promised that it would address the problems of the people.

“I am a child of circumstances in today’s strange political situation. I have to keep my personal decisions and dreams aside owing to the mandate. The State’s development will be of primary focus, and politics will be secondary,” he added. He also said that he had become the Chief Minister of the State in order to “rein in the Ashwamedha horse” let loose by the BJP in the country.

About the schemes of the government, he said that they would be borrowed from the election manifestos of both the Congress and JD(S). A coordination committee will be set up to discuss the common minimum programme to be implemented by the government. On the promise of the Rs. 53,000 crore farm loan waiver mentioned in the JD(S) manifesto, he said that he could not take an individual decision and will have to take the Congress into confidence. But, he assured that he had a “blueprint” ready for the loan waiver.

Retorting to the BJP’s criticism of the alliance, Kumaraswamy said that he will gove an answer to all statements on the floor of the House during the floor test. In a visible dig at the BJP State President and former Chief Minister, he said “Since Yeddyurappa has travelled across the State for past two years to understand the problems; he can share the data and other details about issues relating to farmers or the poor. We will try to address them too.”

Kumaraswamy said that he would invite leaders from the Veerashaiva Lingayat community and those involved in the agitation seeking implementation of the A.J. Sadashiva commission report on internal reservation among the Scheduled Castes. He said that he would speak to them and try to address their issues. He also promised that the government will make sure that the Lokayukta is allowed to work freely.

Regarding the statement of a seer in north Karnataka who criticised the alliance, he said that religious heads should stop politicking and instead, concentrate on spreading religion and being a guide to the government. He also added that he was against politics based on caste and that his government was for all the 6.5 crore people of the State.

When asked about the Mahadayi tribunal and what his government would do about it, Kumaraswamy accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lying repeatedly about the issue and not settling it when he had the opportunity to do so. Meanwhile, PM Modi congratulated Kumaraswamy on his assumption of office as Chief Minister.