Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy: I am at the mercy of the Congress, people rejected me and JDS
The newly elected Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that he was rejected by his people and elected at the mercy of the Congress. He said the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka, did not choose him and his government had not received the full support which his party had sought in the assembly elections. HD Kumaraswamy is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers in Delhi over the loan waiver matter of the farmers as he has promised it was his priority as he had promised and he would resign if he failed to fulfil it.
However, he reminded people that JD(S) did not get an absolute majority, which meant he and his party were rejected by the electorate. "The people of the state rejected me and our party. I had sought an absolute majority. I have heard the statements of farm leaders too and how much they supported me," he said.
"Mine is not an independent government. I had requested the people to give me a mandate that prevents me from succumbing to any pressure other than you. But today I am at the mercy of the Congress. I am not under the pressure of the 6.5 crore people of the state," Mr Kumaraswamy said.
The Chief Minister said he has certain compulsions as a politician. However, he has absolute clarity on the issue of farm loan waivers, he said. Kumaraswamy slamming BJP and other farmers' leaders said, there was no need for any farmers' association to pressurize him (on farm loan waiver).
"I am one step ahead of you to work for the farmers. You need not have to ask me for my resignation over farm loan waiver. If I fail to do that then I myself will resign from the post. Farm loan waiver is my priority. Can't you wait for a week? Even the cabinet has not been formed yet," he added.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy also urged farmers not to take the extreme step of committing suicide and to wait for a week as he was in the process of finding a way out to waive loans, not just of cooperative societies, but also of nationalised banks, reports NDTV.
First published: 28 May 2018, 11:00 IST