MYSORE: Former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warned that serious power shortage could plague Karnataka due to the failure of the JD(S)-BJP coalition to allocate necessary funds to core sectors.

Addressing a press conference in Mysore on Tuesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah, who held the Finance portfolio in the Congress-led coalition Government, said Deputy Finance Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who also holds the Finance portfolio, had failed to allocate necessary funds to core sectors such as power, education, health, rural development and agriculture.

Though Karnataka had a potential to generate 8,000 mega watts of hydro-electric power, the installed capacity is barely enough to produce 4,000 mega watts of hydro-electric power. The JD(S)-BJP coalition should have looked into the matter and allocated necessary funds to augment hydro-electric power generation in Karnataka.

Threatens agitation

He said the All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) would launch an agitation against the failure of the State Government to allocate funds for increasing power generation in Karnataka in the next few weeks. Mr. Siddaramaiah also claimed credit for the financial position the State was presently enjoying. "Due to the fiscal discipline introduced during my tenure as Finance Minister, the State was able to present a surplus budget. The corrective fiscal measures adopted during my tenure have borne fruit," the former Deputy Chief Minister said.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the fiscal measures he introduced as Finance Minister saw revenue receipts rise from Rs. 20,760 crore to more than Rs. 30,000 crore during 2004-05. "The year 2004-05 can be described as a period of fiscal consolidation," he said. He said the State budget presented by Mr. Yediyurappa recently lacked vision and aim.

AIPJD rally

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the AIPJD will hold a rally on Palace Grounds in Bangalore on April 25. Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh and former Union Minister Ajit Singh will attend the rally along with AIJPD leaders from Karnataka. People belonging to backward classes, minorities and Dalits are expected to participate in the rally.

The rally is to draw the Government's attention to the need to provide reservation in the private sector, higher education and judiciary. The rally will also demand implementation of Mandal Commission Report and Women's Reservation Bill.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Congress and AIPJD will field a joint candidate for the forthcoming elections to the Legislative Council from the South Graduates constituency. "We are yet finalise the candidate," he said in response to a question. Mr. Siddaramaiah also ruled out any move to join the Congress.

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