Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (DC)

Bengaluru, Jun 18: Amid differences of opinion among Congress leaders and the JD(S), chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday June 18 met AICC president Rahul Gandhi and discussed about presenting full-fledged budget and other issues related to the state.

In a closed-door meeting which lasted for more than half an hour at Rahul Gandhi's Tuglak Lane residence in New Delhi, Kumaraswamy also discussed issues like decision on farm loan waiver.

Soon after the meeting, Kumaraswamy spoke to media persons and clarified that it was just courtesy meeting and that they discussed several state issues in the meeting.

"I have also sought full cooperation from the Congress to run the coalition government smoothly. Rahul Gandhi promised full support. I also asked him for his ideas on the development of the state and he shared his views," the CM said.

During the meeting, the Congress chief and the Karnataka CM have reportedly discussed about quelling possible dissidence in the Congress party by filling a few vacancies through cabinet expansion. Regarding filling vacancies in the Congress, he said, "It is up to the Congress to take a decision. They will discuss with their legislators and take suitable decision to solve the small problems in their organisation."

The four vacancies out of six will be filled in two weeks, say sources from the Congress.

Earlier, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders during their first co-ordination committee meeting had opined that decision on farm loan waiver must be taken seeing the financial position of the state. They had also favoured presenting a supplementary budget instead of full-pledged one.

But Kumaraswamy had opined that since he was leading the coalition government, he must include the promises made during the elections including farm loan waiver in the new budget. Siddaramaiah had told Karnataka in-charge K C Venugopal too that there was no need to present a new budget. In the co-ordination committee meeting too Congress leaders expressed serious doubts about the fiscal position of the state and whether it could take on a huge burden by waiving loans.

But Kumaraswamy who holds the finance portfolio spoke to media persons after the meeting and said that he has already decided to present a new budget in July. On Sunday June 17, Kumaraswamy urged the central government to to provide 50 percent support to the loan waiver initiative.