Rayareddy tells CM to call meeting on N-K

Congress leader Basavaraj Rayareddy on Monday urged Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to convene a meeting at the earliest to discuss issues pertaining to north Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Rayareddy said the region was plagued with many problems and that it was imperative for the government to address the issue of regional imbalance.

He also said that there was “political imbalance” as the chief minister, deputy chief minister, Speaker and a majority of the Cabinet ministers were from south Karnataka. “Hence, the JD(S) and the Congress should give importance to leaders from north Karnataka during the Cabinet expansion and while making appointments to boards and corporations,” he said.

Stating that the August 2 bandh call given by some organisations and religious leaders was politically motivated, Rayareddy said that Kumaraswamy should learn to speak about north Karnataka with love.

He said that it was wrong on part of Kumaraswamy to have targeted the people of north Karnataka for not voting the JD(S) to power. “I haven’t heard his statement. But if the chief minister has made such remarks, he should withdraw them. He is the chief minister of the entire state,” he added.