Siddaramaiah Plunged State Into Maximum Debt: Karnataka Chief Minister

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has claimed that Congress opposition leader in the State Legislative Assembly and former state CM Siddaramaiah has plunged the state into maximum loan during his tenure.

"In the history of Karnataka, Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah has the credit of taking the maximum loan during his five years ruling as the chief minister," Mr Bommai said addressing the media here.

Reacting to the former CM's charges that only 10 per cent of the works announced in the previous year's budget have been implemented and the State's borrowing has touched Rs 3 lakh crore, Mr Bommai told reporters here on Saturday that details of the budget implementation will be furnished in the coming budget session.

Speaking about the reports regarding KPCC Manifesto Committee Chairman Dr G Parameshwar's unhappiness with being sidelined, Mr Bommai said it was an internal issue of the Congress Party.

"But Dr Parameshwar is very intelligent and knows everything. If he has expressed unhappiness, they must understand it," he added.

Commenting on Mr Siddaramaiah's statement that there has been pro-Congress wave across the state, Mr Bommai took a jibe at Mr Siddaramaiah by 'advising' the Congress leader needs to "safeguard" the MLAs of the region where he is touring.

"This is his only piece of advice for Siddaramaiah who is in the most responsible position," Karnataka CM said.

On being asked about Sri Ram Sena Chief Pramod Mutalik's demand to BJP not to field its candidate in Karkala, Mr Bommai said Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar has been representing this constituency for the last three times and this is his constituency.

"Everyone has the right to appeal but as a national party, BJP will field its candidates in all the 224 Assembly constituencies," Mr Bommai clarified.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)