BSY warns of stir if farm loans not waived

Striking an aggressive note, Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa on Friday warned of a state-wide stir if the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy did not waive farm loans within 24 hours.

Speaking to reporters before Kumaraswamy took the floor test to prove his majority in the assembly, Yeddyurappa said the JD(S) leader had promised to waive farm loans worth Rs 53,000 crore, including those borrowed from nationalised banks.

"It was you who had promised to waive farm loans within 24 hours (after assuming office). The farmers will not be ready to buy your stories that you head a coalition government and it has its own compulsions. You have to announce it in this special session itself. Else, we will prepare an action plan to launch our agitation across the state," he said.

Yeddyurappa said he would not comment on the Congress as it is already out to "finish" the JD(S).

However, he said, the BJP's struggle was mainly against the "anti-farmer, anti-people and corrupt government of Kumaraswamy."

To support his claim that the Kumaraswamy government would be corrupt, he quoted JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal's recent reported remark that no work happens without "suitcase" in the party.

"Corruption during the JD(S) government will only continue and nobody will bother to protect the interests of people," the BJP leader said.

"Irrigation will not get priority. Under these circumstances, it is my duty as an opposition to continue our struggle to protect the interests of people," said Yeddyurappa, who had stepped down as chief minister two days after assuming office, without taking the floor test, on May 17.