Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 6: State president of JD(S), H D Kumaraswamy, ridiculed chief minister, Siddaramaiah, and Congress leaders in the state, of living in a world of illusions.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday July 5, Kumaraswamy pointed out that in the bypoll held for a vacant seat in Mysuru city corporation in the home constituency of Siddaramaiah, JD(S) candidate has come out victorious whereas the candidate fielded by the Congress has lost deposit. He also mentioned about the victory registered by his party candidates in Mandya and Kolar districts. He felt that Siddaramaiah has now got a a fitting reply to his earlier comment in which he had wondered aloud, 'where is JD(S)?'.

Kumaraswamy noted that the total votes pooled by Congress candidate at Mysuru were almost equal to the margin of lead got by JD(S) candidate. He wanted to know from the chief minister, who has been talking lightly of JD(S), what he has to say by way of clarification for this ignoble defeat of his party candidate. "Siddaramaiah seems to have been intoxicated by the victory of his candidates in Nanjangud and Gundlupet constituencies. People will strip him of this pride in the next election," he predicted.

The former Karnataka chief minister noted that Supreme Court had passed order barring bars and restaurants from operating near highways six months back. He criticized the state government for sleeping over this order for long and suddenly convening meeting and holding discussions on the issue on Tuesday. "Were the chief minister and officials of finance department in slumber till now?", he wanted to know. Noting that the government expects to mop up revenue of Rs 18,000 crore from excise department, he questioned as to how will the government cover this loss, as 3,500 liquor outlets have been closed now.

He accused Siddaramaiah of waiving off farmers loans and transferring this burden to the next government. He felt that the chief minister is giving more importance to collecting funds for the next election than concentrating on state's development. He alleged that the chief minister is pressurizing officials to help improve the collections through comprehensive development plan of the city.