H.D. Kumaraswamy

HASSAN: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who will complete 200 days in office on Thursday, has said that he is not perturbed by the charges levelled against him. He said he would stay in office and fight the forces trying to destabilise the Government.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, who visited Aanekere to offer prayers to his family goddesses on Tuesday, told presspersons that the allegations by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader gave an impression that there was lack of understanding between the coalition partners.

Nevertheless, the legislators, who forced him to become the Chief Minister, had faith in his leadership and he would continue in office till they had confidence in him. He was in office because of the legislators who had provided the necessary number and majority needed to became Chief Minister. He would bow down only to their decision and would not succumb to outside pressure, he said.

Asked whether allegations by the leaders of coalition party would amount to loss of confidence in his leadership, he asserted that it was the responsibility of the BJP to provide the answer to the question. "Despite the allegations by a few leaders of the coalition party, there is pressing reason for me to continue in office and that (reason) will be unveiled in the days to come," he said.

To a question on the alleged hesitation of the Government in ordering a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the illegal mining issue, he said the Government was not against holding a CBI probe but it was of the opinion that the judicial probe was the most appropriate.

Responding to the allegation of the Congress that the Rs. 150-crore bribery charge had not been included in the terms of references of the judicial probe, he clarified that there was no truth in the allegation as issues pertaining to illegal mining operations from 2000 to till the date of notification had been included in the terms of references of the judicial probe.

To another allegation by the Congress that the Government had not included the memorandum of understanding signed with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), which is implementing the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project, by Mr. Deve Gowda when he was Chief Minister, in the terms of references of the judicial probe, he said the memorandum had nothing to do with the handing over of land to NICE. As the issue of handing over land was contained in the framework agreement, the memorandum had been excluded from the scope of the inquiry commission.

`Baseless allegations'

Mr. Kumarasway claimed that disturbed by his growing image and popularity among the people, the Opposition parities were making baseless allegations against him and was trying to tarnish his image. Mr. Kumaraswamy said his style of functioning had created anxiety among the Opposition parties and they were afraid of people forgetting them in the wake of the development works being taken up by the coalition Government.

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