The Hindu : Karnataka News : Give clear mandate to one party, Krishna tells people

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Monday, Mar 31, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Give clear mandate to one party, Krishna tells people

Staff Correspondent

‘Coalition governments will not be stable’

Poll strategy? The former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna having a word with the former MP Kodandaramaiah at a Congress workers’ meeting in Chitradurga on Sunday.

Chitradurga: The former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna on Sunday said that coalition governments would not be stable as had been witnessed in the State and people should give a clear mandate to one party.

Addressing Congress workers here, he said that people had seen the performances of two coalition governments in the State, which could not complete the full tenure.

Recalling the contribution of the Congress Government during his tenure between 1999 and 2004, he said that it framed several welfare programmes which included mid-day meal, Yeshaswini and housing schemes for the poor.

The former Maharashtra Governor said that his Government had to face problems such as drought, Cauvery dispute and kidnapping of actor Rajkumar.

The Government had overcome many of the problems. After the introduction of the midday meal scheme, the number of children going to school had increased to 70 lakh. Many poor people had undergone surgeries under the Yeshaswini health insurance scheme, he claimed.

Referring to All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi’s discover India tour, he said that there was nothing wrong in Mr. Gandhi imitating somebody.

He was referring to the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s claim that Mr. Gandhi was following his steps.

However, he said that Mr. Gandhi did not come to Karnataka to follow somebody, but to understand the problems of the people.

By interacting with the people, he made efforts to realise their status.

The former MLA G.H. Tippa Reddy said Mr. Krishna had released Rs. 80 crore for the Shanti Sagar project in the district to mitigate the drinking water problem.

He, however, alleged that a political party was trying to delay the release of water though the project had been completed. He urged Mr. Krishna to take up the matter with Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

The former Minister A. Krishnappa and the former MP Kodandaramaiah were among those present.

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