Cong, JDS differ on presenting new budget

In yet another sign of birth pangs in their coalition, Congress and JDS in Karnataka today differed on the tabling of a new full fledged budget for 2018-19.

While the Congress said there was no need for a fresh budget and insisted that a supplementary budget would do, JD(S) asserted that a fresh one was needed to demonstrate the direction of the new government.

Strongly pushing for a new budget, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said he would meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi to sort out the issue soon.

Former chief minister and Chairman of the Congress-JDS coordination committee Siddaramaiah expressed his strong reservations over presenting a new full fledged budget, saying there was no need for such an exercise.

Siddaramaiah, who is also the Congress Legislature Party leader, said he had already tabled the budget as chief minister a few months ago.

"Budget has already been tabled. It is a full-fledged budget only. That's why we had taken vote on accounts for fourmonths. It will be there till July end. All the ongoing programmes and new programmes announced in the budget will continue," said Siddaramaiah.

He advised Kumaraswamy that if he wants to carry out certain projects and launch some schemes, he can bring out a supplementary budget.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's 'suggestion', Kumaraswamy told reporters in Delhi that the new government has to demonstrate its objectives to the people.

"Whenever a new government comes to power, it needs to demonstrate what its goals are. We cannot limit ourselves to presenting supplementary budget because there are many challenges before the government."
Replying to a question, Kumaraswamy said, "I am not uncomfortable with mycoalition government but I have become uncomfortable for my media friends."