Will HD Kumaraswamy pass in ‘Farm Loan Waivers’ test?

A lot of them criticized the Janata Dal Secular and Congress government in Karnataka the four weeks old government has not disappointed critics. As Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is finding tough in initial stage itself in delivering on his injunction.

While campaigning for the May 12 election, both Mr Kumaraswamy’s party and the Congress promoted that they would be waiving farm loans.

On July 5, Mr Kumaraswamy as per his declaration would announce the details in a budget. Congress’s former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems nervous about this.

As some days earlier this month, Siddaramaiah, who now heads the coalition coordination committee, has been caught hitting out at the Chief Minister in two videos apparently recorded at a naturopathy retreat.

In one video, he is seen speaking skeptically about the Kumaraswamy government completing its five-year term. “They (government) will remain until parliament elections are over, after that, what all developments will happen (we will have to see),” Siddaramaiah added.

The second video recording, also shown on a local channel, has him questioning the need for a fresh budget since the JDS is in a coalition with the Congress, which presented the last one.

He is heard asking “When the common minimum programme of the two parties has not yet been prepared, why prepare for a new budget.”

Siddaramaiah referring to his party colleague and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said it was common for a new government to have a new budget.

Now even the relationship between Siddaramaiah and Mr Parameshwara, the state Congress chief is under pressure.

In a same way Siddaramaiah realtions with JDS as he switched over to Congress party back in year 2006.

The former Chief Minister seems to be in dilemma as he is no longer in position to come back in power of his own, at the same time he is also active politician.

Reports suggest that he is savage for Congress leaders upset with the terms of the coalition.

On Monday, Mr Kumaraswamy has indirectly acknowledged the dissatisfaction of some Congress leaders. While talking to officials of nationalised and cooperative banks, he said “I am the kind of person who likes for everyone to cooperate and work together as a family. Even officers are asking how long this government will last. Some are saying, do the new budget after the parliamentary elections, not now. It is not important how long I stay. It is important what I can do for the people in that time.”

Before the 2019 national polls Mr Kumaraswamy appears to be excited to announce the budget. Though his supporters are still not agreed to the allies and until Congress president Rahul Gandhi stepped in, no one agree on the distribution of ministries and fought for the finance portfolio.

Earlier this month, at the first meeting of the coordination committee the partners had reportedly agreed that the flagship programmes of the previous Congress government would continue – like rice at Rs. one rupee a kg under the Anna Bhagya scheme and the low-cost Indira Canteens etc.

Also read: Tamil Nadu to get its share of Cauvery water in June: Kumaraswamy