BJP demands all-party meeting

The state BJP has urged the governor to convene an all-party meeting to discuss issues confronting Karnataka, in the absence of an elected government.

"The governor should convene an all-party meeting to discuss the elections to the state assembly, execution of irrigation works and other development works, Centre's step-motherly attitude, and the terrorist activity," state BJP leader K S Eswarappa said in Mysore on Tuesday last.

Charging that irrigation and other development works had come to a standstill during President's Rule, former irrigation minister said B S Yeddyurappa, as finance minister in the last ministry, had sanctioned schemes, but none has been taken up.

Citing the example of the Kalasa-Banduri project, Eswarappa said, "Our government was about to take up the work by calling tenders. Then the government fell and it was not taken up. Meanwhile, following a petition, the Supreme Court has given notices to the Centre three times. In accordance with the earlier verdict of the apex court, the Centre has to file a reply in favour of Karnataka. But it has not done so," he alleged.

"Similarly, the previous ministry had decided to take up the restoration of 650 tanks this year and the rest of the 1,300 tanks, in the coming year.

Yeddyurappa had set apart Rs 300 crore for the purpose. Even this work has come to a standstill. The 'Sandhya Suraksha Yojana' to provide a financial aid of Rs 400 to those over 65 years, for which Rs 250 crore was provided in the budget, stands unimplemented," the BJP leader said.

There was uncertainty about the elections to the Assembly with reports of it being postponed to November. The political parties, therefore, should be taken into confidence on these and other pressing issues by calling an all-party meeting, Eswarappa said.