BJP demands 'white paper' on K'taka financial position

Opposition BJP in Karnataka demanded on Monday that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government come out with a 'white paper' on the financial position of the state.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Govind Karjol also accused Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy of regional bias.

"The Chief Minister is repeatedly levelling allegations against the BJP, stating that the party is not allowing him to administer and take up developmental work," Karjol told reporters at Bagalkote in north Karnataka.

Stating that BJP has never staged any demonstration or protest against Kumaraswamy, he said that the Chief Minister, instead of lying, should immediately come clean about the financial condition of the state.

"I demand that the government come out with facts and figures on pending dues to contractors and others in all departments.

"I demand a white paper on the financial condition of the state," he added.

Critical about the functioning of the coalition government, which it claimed has "not taken off", the BJP had earlier too demanded that Kumaraswamy, who holds the finance portfolio, come out with a "white paper" on the state's financial position.

Reacting to the BJP's demand, Kumaraswamy had recently said that if they had any information on the finances being in a poor state, they should come out with it.

Alleging that the government's developmental activities were only restricted to Mysuru region, Karajol called it a "government of Mysuru division".

He said the Chief Minister was laying foundation stone and inaugurating projects worth Rs 1,000-2,000 crore in Hassan, Mandya and Mysuru districts, but has not come to north Karnataka region to initiate any projects.

Following the presentation of the coalition government's first budget in July, Kumaraswamy has been accused by the opposition, as also a few Congress leaders, of being biased towards southern Karnataka or old Mysuru region, where his party JD(S) has a considerable presence.