MYSORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has offered to give up power if the Opposition Congress in the State successfully prevails upon the Union Government to waive agricultural loans got by farmers from nationalised banks.

Mr. Kumaraswamy's challenge to the Congress party came at function to launch a series of developmental projects at Yedathore village in K.R. Nagar taluk of Mysore district near here on Sunday.

Responding to the Congress party's continuing criticism of the coalition Government, the Chief Minister said: "Let them lead a delegation to the Union Government and get the agricultural loans obtained by farmers from nationalised banks waived. I will then give up power."

He came down heavily on the Congress for its "failure" to implement welfare schemes for the people of the State when they had been in power for over four decades.

"But this coalition Government has done in 15 months what they could not do during their long tenure at the helm. Let them look into their conscience and speak," he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy trained his guns at former Minister and Congress leader H. Vishwanath and asked him to become enlightened and understand the problems of the people. Though he did not name Mr. Vishwanath, Mr Kumaraswamy said he had been observing the statements made by the "former Minister representing the taluk".

The Chief Minister advised him and other members of the Congress to stay in villages and try to understand the problems of the people there before thinking of organising Ahinda conventions.

Referring to the "Janata Darshan" and village-stay programmes, he said that he was not a Chief Minister who functioned from within the four walls of a room. "I believe in working in the midst of the people. It is not possible to understand the problems of the people if you sit in an air-conditioned room in Bangalore," he said.

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