The Hindu : Karnataka News : Venkaiah denies neglecting State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 24, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Venkaiah denies neglecting State

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, APRIL 23. The BJP President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, lost his temper for a moment today when asked to react to the Congress charge that though he had been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, he had contributed little to the State, and described the question as a "running commentary."

However, he told presspersons here that his contribution to Karnataka was "ten times that of the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna."

When it was pointed out that he had a moral responsibility towards Karnataka, he said: "I am responsible to Karnataka; that is why Karnataka is getting all help (from the Centre). Mr. Krishna is responsible for not implementing the programmes and wasting Central funds; the funds are leaking on the way."

Again, when he said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government had brought down the interest rate on farm loans to nine per cent from 18 per cent, and criticised the Congress for promising rice at Rs. 3 a kg and Rs. 500 a month to unemployed youth, he was annoyed when it was pointed out that the announcement of the interest cut came only on the eve of the elections.

He said it was being done slowly. "After all, all things cannot be done in five years; things which could not be done in 50 years cannot be done in five years," he said.

Mr. Naidu, who reiterated the claims in the NDA's `progress report', appealed to the people of the State to punish the "non-performing, apathetic and corrupt Congress Government in the State" for neglecting the development of north Karnataka. He said the water problem in Belgaum, Hubli and Bagalkot would have been solved if the State Government had taken steps 20 years ago.

He also criticised the State Government for its failure to nab "just one sandalwood smuggler, Veerappan" and for giving the ticket to R. Roshan Baig, despite his alleged links with Abdul Karim Telgi, prime accused in the stamp paper racket.

He promised that if the BJP came to power at the Centre, its Government would create a dedicated fund for backward regions such as north Karnataka, Telangana and Rayalseema to bring them on a par with developed regions.

He said that the NDA was confident that it would retain power at the Centre and Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be back as Prime Minister.

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