Karnataka government stable, 'no one can touch me' till 2019 Lok Sabha polls, says HD Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: As questions over the longevity of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka lingered, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday said no one can ’touch’ him at least till the 2019 Lok Sabha polls are over. “This coalition government will function with stability. I know, no one can touch me for one year. I will be there at least for one year until the Lok Sabha election is over. Until then, no one can do anything to me,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_4506515” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. AP[/caption] Addressing an event, Kumaraswamy said he would not remain silent during the period that he has got and would focus on taking decisions for the benefit of the state. The chief minister said he would not waste his time and immerse himself in work as it was important that the state progresses in all spheres. “So in the opportunity that I have got, rather than going into what others have done, my message will be what I have done. In doing this, the environment is also in my favour (with good rains),” he added. Kumaraswamy’s comments come even as his government is facing the birth pangs of coalition politics, following the disquiet among newly elected Congress lawmakers who were left out during the Cabinet expansion. As the 12 May Assembly polls in the state threw up a hung Assembly, Congress and JD(S) who had bitterly fought each other, joined hands to form a post-poll alliance to keep out the BJP, which had emerged as the single largest party. The chief minister also reiterated that he was committed to waiving farm loans and would announce it shortly. “Dear farmers, let there be no confusion on farm loan waiver. I am fully committed to the loan waiver. I want to ensure it is done scientifically benefiting maximum number of farmers. I am working on the modalities and will announce it shortly,” Kumaraswamy said in a tweet on his official twitter handle @CMofKarnataka.

Dear farmers
Let there be no confusion on farm loan waiver. I am fully committed to the loan waiver. I want to ensure it is done scientifically benefitting maximum farmers. I am working on the the modalities and will announce it shortly.#farmers #farmloanwaiver

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) June 15, 2018

Rubbishing reports that questioned his commitment on farm loan waiver, Kumaraswamy while speaking at the event, said he would “not escape” from his commitment. On 30 May, as Opposition and farmers’ bodies stepped up pressure on him to fulfil his pre-poll promise, he had said that the government would arrive at a decision to implement a two-phase scheme for farm loan waiver within 15 days. The chief minister also hinted that the first budget of the coalition government is likely to be presented in the first week of July, even as he hit out at detractors who were questioning the need for the full term budget now. “Probably during July first week we have plans to present the state budget. A few people are asking why the budget has to be presented as this is a coalition government and it has already been presented (by Congress government).” “Is is not enough to just present supplementary budget, some are advising,” he said while adding that “some people are worried that Kumaraswamy will get a name if he presents the budget.” After a strong bargain with the coalition partner Congress, Kumaraswamy has retained the key finance portfolio.