Congress govt in Karnataka 'unnecessarily quarrelling' with Centre: Union minister H D Kumaraswamy

BENGALURU: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, H D Kumaraswamy, has criticized the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, accusing it of "unnecessarily quarrelling" with the Centre.
The JD(S) leader emphasized that confrontation with the Central government will not benefit the state and urged for cooperation to address issues effectively.Kumaraswamy also expressed his dedication to fulfilling the expectations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership, reflecting the confidence they have in him.
"I know this government (in Karnataka is) unnecessarily quarrelling with the Central government. First of all, I request the Karnataka government that -- quarrelling will not help. Or throwing mud against the Central government will not help. Whatever is the issue, come, discuss with us," Kumaraswamy said.
He further stated, "Mutually with good confidence, we can do the work successfully. Instead, every day (they are) criticising in public, daily they are making statements (against the Centre)... Unnecessarily criticising the Central government without any fault on part of the Central government. The fault is in your (state govt) court only."
Highlighting the importance of resolving several state issues, Kumaraswamy made it clear that his primary focus remains on Karnataka, although he acknowledged the necessity of addressing national responsibilities as well.
"To generate employment for the younger generation is the PM's vision and I have to see about that. Ultimately I want to get some name for the country and the PM. I pray to God to give me the strength to fulfill the PM's vision," he added.
Kumaraswamy expressed his gratitude towards the Prime Minister, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president J P Nadda for their confidence in him following the Lok Sabha elections, where the voters supported the BJP-JD(S) combination.
"The whole of Karnataka decided to stand with the PM. They (BJP leadership) have some confidence in me, as (they feel) here is the man who can (meet) our expectations, not only for the development, for the organisation also he will be useful. In that process, they have given me a chance. I want to fulfill the expectations," he stated.
Acknowledging the complexities of his new role, Kumaraswamy mentioned that he would require three months to study his departments. He is dedicated to understanding the intricacies of the Steel and Heavy Industries sectors and fulfilling Prime Minister Modi's vision for national development.
"Another two to three months required to study my departments. I am working towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the development of the country," he mentioned.
"The Prime Minister has given me responsibility for these two sensitive departments, which will play a major role in GDP growth and employment generation," he added.
Kumaraswamy acknowledged the challenges posed by his portfolios but expressed confidence in overcoming them. He committed to formulating a comprehensive plan within two years that would define his contributions to the country's development.
"After taking charge, I visited several (industrial) plants to get information on ground reality," he shared.
Commenting on the state-run Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT), Kumaraswamy expressed intentions to revive it, despite the challenges, and highlighted the need to convince Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on this matter.
Regarding the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, Kumaraswamy referred to it as a significant scam, suggesting that the Congress government’s efforts to suppress it would backfire.
"It's a big scam. They (Congress govt) wanted to suppress the scam with their officers. But it is going to boomerang against the CM," he claimed.
"This government (in Karnataka) is not good.... Already it (issues) started. Let's wait and see," Kumaraswamy said, reinforcing that the BJP and JD(S) would jointly oppose the state government both inside and outside the Assembly.
Regarding the upcoming by-polls for the Channapatna Assembly segment, vacated by Kumaraswamy upon his election to the Lok Sabha, he hinted at an unexpected candidate.
"There is going to be a surprise candidate. Let's wait and see," Kumaraswamy concluded.