Coalition govt stable, Congress-JDS to fight LS polls together: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Dec 27 : Rubbishing BJP's claim that the coalition government in Karnataka would collapse due to internal rift, Congress leader Siddaramaiah Thursday said the Congress-JDS alliance was strong and they would contest the Lok Sabha polls together.
The leader of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition coordination committee also ruled out any differences between him and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara over portfolio allocation to newly inducted ministers.
"They (BJP) don't want to sit in the opposition and work. By using some wrong means, they want to form the government," Siddaramaiah said.
He was reacting to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Umesh Katti's claim that 15 disgruntled MLAs from the ruling coalition were in touch with him and that the saffron party would form the new government in Karnataka by next week.
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, Siddaramaiah said, "Nothing will happen, the government will not fall. Government will complete its term; there is no problem at all."
Reacting to the views of JDS leaders that the party should contest the Lok Sabha polls alone, the veteran Congress leader said both the parties had fought the by-elections together and the alliance will remain intact for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well.
"I don't know what you are saying... (JDS wanting to go alone) is news for me," the former Karnataka chief minister said, adding that the seat sharing formula was yet to be finalised.
"About the number of seats, all those things we have not been discussed, it will be discussed when we will sit together, which has not yet happened," he said.
Unhappy with the Congress' "big brother attitude" in the ruling coalition in Karnataka, JD(S) workers and local leaders have apparently asked the leadership to contest all 28 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections alone.
Congress and JD(S) had earlier announced that they would fight the polls together.
Expressing confidence that former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, sulking over being dropped from the ministry, would not quit as party MLA, Siddaramaiah said, "He is basically a Congress man, he will stay with us."
"He may be upset that he was removed from the ministry, so he has gone incommunicado, I also tried, but could not speak to him... As I understand him, he will remain and work for the Congress," he added.
Jarkiholi has threatened to quit as Congress lawmaker and is likely to announce his decision soon amid reports that he might join the BJP.
Siddaramaiah also said that portfolios to eight newly inducted ministers would be announced after approval from Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
Terming reports about the rift with Parameshwara as "totally false", he said, "We haven't spoken at the meeting, as reported."
According to reports, the meeting between top party leaders on Wednesday to decide on portfolios was not cordial, as Parameshwara expressed displeasure after Siddaramiah asked him to give up some key portfolios.
Parameshwara currently holds the departments of home, Bengaluru city related affairs, youth affairs and sports.
Also, hitting out at media reports about a rift with Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara said, "It is all your creation, which is false. By giving false news... You will lose the credibility."
"There is no issue of giving up any ministry and it is applicable to every one... Everything will be decided by the high command," he added.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
