Write it down, we will get 141 seats, says D.K. Shivakumar

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, “We are spending ₹20,000 crore to provide free power for irrigation pumpsets and implementing various programmes for the welfare of the people. We had bagged 136 seats in the last election and write down my words, we will win 141 seats in the next poll.”

Addressing a convention that was organised to issue title deeds to 1.1 lakh beneficiary families on the outskirts of Haveri on Saturday, Mr. Shivakumar said that in the byelections the people had blessed the candidates, thus increasing the tally to 139. “This convention is to thank you (the people) and repay you by giving you the title deeds,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister sought to know whether the BJP and the Janata Dal governments had given any such pro-people programmes. “Women are travelling happily in buses, and changes have been brought about in the lives of homemakers, and employment opportunities are being generated for the youth,” Mr. Shivakumar said, seeking to know from the Opposition leaders whether they had done anything of this sort during their tenure.

Lambasting the BJP for playing politics over religion, Mr. Shivakumar said that God was not the sole property of the BJP. “There should be religion in politics and not politics in religion,” he said.

He also alleged that the Union government had killed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the government had created a record of sorts by giving title deeds to 2.2 lakh beneficiary families through revolutionary steps taken by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.

Claiming that the State government was acting according to its words, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that they believed in inclusive development that helped people of all castes, religion and languages. However, the BJP leaders had indulged in misleading the people through lies, he alleged.

Mr. Gowda said that officials of the Revenue and Registration Department had worked as a team to ensure that the poor benefitted from the initiatives.

He listed out the initiatives taken by the Revenue Department and how people who had suffered for long were now being benefitted. He said that as a gesture towards praising the good work done by the employees and officials, it had been decided to disburse incentives to the tune of ₹5 crore.

On the occasion, the officials who ensured effective implementation of the government schemes were honoured.