Will focus on Covid-19, drinking water, farmers: Sudhakar

Expectations of Chikkaballapur district residents have doubled from the State government with Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, who hails from Chikkaballapur, being appointed as district in-charge minister.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa appointed district in-charge ministers in September last year for the first time after assuming power in July. Sudhakar, who had to face by-election as he was disqualified, could not be given any role. Hence, deputy chief minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan was given the additional charge of Chikkaballapur district.

Sudhakar had made several attempts to become a minister in the Coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. However, he was not inducted in the cabinet. Sudhakar was one of the architects who brought down Kumaraswamy government.

In the byoll, Sudhakar emerged victorious and became a minister. Yediyurappa allotted him the portfolio of Medical Education. Earlier, the portfolio was handled by Dr C N Ashwath Narayan.

Though, he was the district in-charge minister for six months, Ashwath Narayan hardly conducted any meetings. He had chaired a meeting in October last year. He preferred to maintain distance as never conducted meetings since October last year.

However, after criticism, he held a meeting with farmers on April 3.

With Sudhakar becoming the district in-charge minister, residents here believe that it would further boost development process.

The road for Sudhakar is not that smooth. The district is haunted by successive droughts. About 12 Covid-19 positive cases have been reported from the district. Many places are facing drinking water crisis, while prices of flowers, fruits and vegetables have come down.

On these issues, he said,”I could concentrate only on my constituency so far. However, I will now focus on the district. My top priority is to contain Covid-19, ensure drinking water and protect interests of farmers.”

“I am extremely happy to have been made Chikkaballapur district in charge minister. I will take everybody into confidence and discharge my duties,” he said.

In the Kumaraswamy government, Gauribidanur MLA N H Shivashankar Reddy was Agriculture minister. He was also Chikkaballapur district in-charge minister.