The Hindu : Karnataka News : Central team to visit flood and drought-hit areas

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Friday, Jul 27, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Central team to visit flood and drought-hit areas

Staff Correspondent

State has appealed for Rs. 1,500-crore aid from the Centre

Kumaraswamy refuses to answer queries on transfer of power
Media told to be patient till October 3

MYSORE: An expert team from the Centre will visit the flood and drought-affected areas of Karnataka in the wake of the State Government’s appeal to the Union Government for financial aid of Rs. 1,500 crore to take up relief work.

Speaking to presspersons soon after arrival at Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel helipad here on Thursday, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the State had sought Rs. 1,500 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund of the Centre to tackle the situation arising out of floods and drought in the State.

“We have sought a relief of Rs. 1,500 crore from the Centre. An expert team will shortly visit the affected areas”, Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

When presspersons queried him on the speculations over the transfer of power to its coalition partner BJP in the first week of October, Mr. Kumaraswamy chose to keep mum. “I have decided not to speak anything about the transfer of power. Be patient till October 3 for an answer to all the speculations raging over the issue”, he said.

Referring to the recent statements made by JD (S) Ministers and legislators, favouring his continuance as Chief Minister beyond October 3, the Chief Minister said Minister for Housing D.T. Jayakumar had already made it clear that it was his personal opinion.

But, when reminded about the party leadership’s threat to initiate disciplinary action against leaders speaking about the transfer of power, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he would prefer to remain silent.

Mr. Kumaraswamy refused to even field queries on the speculations over revival of ties between JD (S) and Congress in the interest of cobbling up a secular alternative to the BJP. “I will not reply to any of these questions. I will be silent till October 3 and advise the media also to patient till that date”, Mr. Kumaraswamy said seeking to keep alive the suspense over transfer of power to the BJP.

Earlier, Mr Kumaraswamy arrived in Mysore by a helicopter along with Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar, who is also a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the Centre.

Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Pawar were accompanied by the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council H.K. Patil in the helicopter journey from Bangalore.

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