Bengaluru, Feb 3 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday reacted strongly to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comments that the state has gone bankrupt under the Congress-led government, contending that it has not borrowed as much as the Central government and is efficiently managing its affairs.
Responding to a question from reporters on the matter, Shivakumar said: "The Union Finance Minister should first acknowledge how many lakhs of crores the Central government has borrowed. We have not taken such massive loans, and we are effectively managing the state’s finances. The Honourable Prime Minister had claimed that Karnataka would go bankrupt when we announced our guarantee schemes. Now, they are relying on the same guarantees to win elections."
"We implemented these guarantees considering factors such as inflation putting pressure on women, rising gas prices, and increasing costs of essential commodities, which have made life difficult for ordinary people. The BJP has now started adopting similar schemes everywhere," he added.
"The claim that Karnataka has gone bankrupt is a separate issue. The central ministers and the Union Finance Minister should release a detailed report on the contributions made to Karnataka in the Union Budget," he said.
Asked about the lack of mention regarding funds for the Upper Bhadra project, Shivakumar remarked: "It's shameful. If a commitment is made, it should be honoured. I request them to keep their word before making any comments."
Regarding JD-S MLAs expressing interest in meeting him, Shivakumar clarified that he had not spoken to any of them. "JD-S party workers are making decisions based on their political future. How long can they wait? They want the support of a national party, which is why they are seeking to join Congress," he maintained.
"We have enough numbers, and I am not actively trying to bring JD-S MLAs into our fold. None of the MLAs have shown serious interest, and I have not spoken to anyone. All such reports are false," he asserted.
On Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka’s statement that, as per the power-sharing agreement, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s tenure is set to end in the last week of November, Shivakumar responded humorously: "Ashoka seems to be quite skilled in astrology. I should take some time to visit him along with our MLAs."
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