Centre extending cooperation to Karnataka, says CM

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who has often targeted the Centre for allegedly not aiding the state during floods and power crisis, seems to have softened his stand and says cooperation has been extended to the BJP-ruled state.

“Things are improving now. In some areas the Centre has extended cooperation to the state”, he said as his government completed two years in office today. The 67-year-old Yeddyurappa rejected the charge that minorities were living in fear under the BJP rule and shot back saying, “You show me one such instance. They are all very happy”.

Yeddyurappa told PTI that he had never spoken of following the Gujarat model of governance. “I only said I will turn Karnataka into a model state in the next three years”. The Chief Minister ridiculed opposition Congress and JDS for attacking his government’s performance, saying they should compare works done during his tenure with that in the last 10 years before drawing any conclusion.

He said people have approved of his government’s performance by ensuring BJP wins in all elections held in the last two years. “What more proof does one require to assess the achievements of any government?”, the BJP leader from the dominant Lingayat community asked, hitting at the opposition parties for questioning his party’s performance. “I hold 100 per cent command over governance. My ministerial colleagues and officials have been extending great degree of cooperation, because of which the government has been able to implement several development programmes”, he said.

Yeddyurappa survived a major threat to his leadership last September following dissident activity spearheaded by three Bellary ministers unhappy over his style of functioning- Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, his brother and Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy and their confidant Health Minister B Sreeramulu, which the BJP High Command doused.

The BJP under Yeddyurappa won the by-elections to Assembly seats that became vacant after the saffron party lured MLAs from opposition parties under “operation lotus”.It gained control over Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for the first time and won 18 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats.

Yeddyyurappa, who faced dissidence from the Bellary brothers last year, today admitted that his government’s image has been dented by allegations against some other ministers. He was quick to add that the allegations were still to be proved.

“Yes, we felt embarrassed. Such things should not have happened....But people should wait to know if these allegations are true,” he said.

While one of the ministers H Halappa, faces rape charges, the Social Welfare Minister Sudhakar is under the CBI scanner for allegedly cheating a bank.

Seeking to put behind these developments, Yeddyurappa struck a confident note saying he was fully in command of the situation in the state and looking forward to turning Karnataka into a model state in the next three years. “I hold 100 per cent command over governance... because of which the government has been able to implement several development programmes”, he said.

Asked about allegations against his government that it resorted to favouritism while granting relief in flood-affected areas and that funds were not properly utilised, he suggested that there be a debate in the coming legislature session. “I am ready to give all data on the issue,” he said.