Now, Moily too says ‘no budget without CMP’

The final draft of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the Congress-JD(S) coalition will be ready on June 29, drafting committee member M Veerappa Moily said on Monday.

The veteran Congress leader also concurred with former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s disapproval that Kumaraswamy was preparing for the budget without the CMP ready.

“What he (Siddaramaiah) said is right,” Moily said, adding, “What we are saying is also right, that the CMP will be ready on June 29.”

On farm loan waiver, Moily said, “Loan waiver is one of the prominent issues we are discussing.”

The five-member committee tasked with drafting the CMP comprises Moily, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar of the Congress, Public Works Minister H D Revanna and Cooperation Minister Bandeppa Kashempur of the JD(S).

Shivakumar did not attend the committee’s second meeting on Monday as he was busy with pre-budget meetings.

“We are analysing the manifestos of both JD(S) and Congress to identify commonalities and aspects that can be implemented over a five-year period,” Moily said.

Deshpande asserted that whatever Siddaramaiah had announced in his 2018-19 budget would continue.

“In addition, whatever wasn’t there will be accommodated. We have five more years to go,” he said. It is natural for the CMP to be part of the budget that Kumaraswamy presents, Deshpande added.