Centre trying to scuttle state’s loan waiver scheme: CM

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy lashed out at the BJP, on Saturday, over its efforts to lure away JD(S) and Congress MLAs.

He was addressing the gathering at Trinamool Congress’ (TMC’s) mega opposition rally at the Brigade Parade Ground.

“The most ridiculous development which has become a national issue now is that the BJP is offering huge sums of cash to the MLAs of Congress and JD(S) and asking them to resign and join them (BJP),” said Kumaraswamy.

The chief minister also accused the Centre of trying to scuttle the state government’s efforts to waive farmers’ loans. “The prime minister described the farm loan waiver as a crude joke on farmers, without knowing facts,” he said.

At the rally, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda said, “The people of the country are eager for a new government and a stable government is necessary to lead the nation. But Narendra Modi, even after winning 282 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, is hell-bent on destroying the secular fabric of the country and democratic institutions,” he said. He said the seat-sharing between regional parties would be a “Herculean task” and had to be done smoothly to ensure one-to-one fight against BJP.