CM HD Kumaraswamy and former chief minister Siddaramaiah during coordination committee meeting. (PTI)
Karnataka's ruling alliance of the Congress and HD Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal Secular reiterated a message of unity after a crucial meeting of its Coordination Committee yesterday. The two parties have been battling a perception of rift after controversy over a video that purportedly showed former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressing doubts about the longevity of the alliance. But it was Mr Siddaramaiah who chaired the crucial Coordination Committee meeting, where the Common Minimum programme was discussed and approved.
The former Chief Minister, who was turfed out of the top job in the recent assembly elections, yesterday said the coalition was strong and would last its full term. He was backed up by HD Kumaraswamy, the man who replaced him. "There was never any problem. The trouble was just media creation," the Chief Minister told NDTV, adding that he would present the budget.
Presentation of the budget by Mr Kumaraswamy was one of sore points for Mr Siddramaiah, the controversial video indicated. Leaked from a place where Mr Siddaramaiah was taking a rest cure, it showed the former Chief Minister purportedly asking why Mr Kumaraswamy should present a fresh budget when the Congress had presented one as recently as February.
The coordination committee yesterday retained all the flagship programmes undertaken by the government led by Mr Siddaramaiah. In addition, senior JD(S) leader Danish Ali said, the committee has accepted the loan waiver for farmers - the details of which will be revealed by the Chief Minister in the budget. Rs 1,25,000 crore will be allotted to irrigation projects over next 5 years, for the homeless, 20 lakh new houses will be built. Also, in the same period, the government was planning to create one crore jobs.
Congress's K C Venugopal said, "We discussed all issues. I had told earlier that everything would be settled smoothly. We already decided that. It should be a smooth running government".