Cong govt in K'taka "unnecessarily quarrelling" with Centre: Union Minister Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy has accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka of "unnecessarily quarrelling" with the Centre and said that it won't help.
The JD(S) leader, whose party is part of the ruling NDA at the Centre, also said Prime Minister Narendra and the BJP leadership have confidence in him, and that he wants to fulfill their expectations.
"I know this government (in Karnataka is) unnecessarily quarrelling with the Central government. First of all, I request the Karnataka government that -- quarrelling will not help. Or throwing mud against the Central government will not help. Whatever is the issue, come, discuss with us," Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to PTI videos, he said, "mutually with good confidence, we can do the work successfully. (Instead) every day (they are) criticising in public, daily they are making statements (against the Centre)...Unnecessarily criticising the Central government without any fault on part of the Central government. The fault is in your (state govt) court only."
Noting that there are several issues concerning the state and his top priority remains Karnataka, Kumaraswamy, however said that he is not a "selfish man", as he pointed out that, as a Central Minister, the entire country will also need his attention.
"To generate employment for the younger generation is the PM's vision and I have to see about that. Ultimately I want to get some name for the country and the PM. I pray to God to give me the strength to fulfill the PM's vision," the former Chief Minister of Karnataka added.
Noting that the PM, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda after the Lok Sabha elections have some confidence in him, Kumaraswamy said, in the Lok Sabha polls the voters decided to bless our BJP-JD(S) combination.
"Whole Karnataka decided to stand with the PM. They (BJP leadership) have some confidence in me, as (they feel) here is the man who can (meet) our expectations, not only for the development, for the organisation also he will be useful. In that process they have given me a chance. I want to fulfill the expectations," he added.
The Union Minister said that he would need at least three months to study his department as the Prime Minister has entrusted him with two sensitive departments -- Steel and Heavy Industries. He also pointed out that this is for the first time that he is working in the Union Government and there is a lot to learn.
"Another two to three months required to study my departments. I am working towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the development of the country," he said.
"The Prime Minister has given me responsibility for these two sensitive departments, which will play a major role in GDP growth and employment generation," he added.
According to Kumaraswamy, the portfolios he has got are very challenging but he will succeed.
He said in the next two years he will come up with a plan that will define his role in the development of the country.
"After taking charge, I visited several (industrial) plants to get information on ground reality," the Minister said.
Calling Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) a pride of Karnataka and India, Kumaraswamy said, the revival of HMT is a big challenge as he will have to convince the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Regarding alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which involves plots given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, the JD(S) leader said, "It's a big scam. They (Congress govt) wanted to suppress the scam with their officers. But it is going to boomerang against the CM."
"This government (in Karnataka) is not good.... Already it (issues) started. Let's wait and see," he said, adding that jointly BJP and JD(S) will fight against this government, both on the floor of the Assembly and outside.
Regarding the by-pollsto Channapatna Assembly segment, vacated by him on his election to the Lok Sabha, Kumaraswamy said, "There is going to be a surprise candidate. Let's wait and see."
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We will move court again to resist voter deletions: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the Election Commission over voter deletions during the SIR exercise and said her party will move a court again to resist the removal of electors from the rolls.
Her comments came after nearly 91 lakh voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision in the state.
“You will not be able to defeat the TMC by deleting names. We will move a court again to resist the exclusion of names," Banerjee said while attacking her principal challenger BJP over the roll revision exercise.
Banerjee had in February argued in the Supreme Court as she sought an intervention in the SIR process.
The EC figures, which pushed the total deletion to over 90.83 lakh names from the original voter base of 7.66 crore in October 2025, showed that the proportion of removal of electors now remains at over 11.85 per cent.
Criticising the poll panel over the SIR process, she also said, "We will fight legally to get the names included on the list as per the Constitution. If people cannot cast their votes, what is the need to frame the tribunal? And then you are saying that the list has been frozen. What is this? We will challenge it and try to understand it."
Addressing a poll rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district, the TMC supremo accused the saffron party of trying to manipulate the electoral rolls and offering money to woo voters.
Banerjee also charged the Election Commission with intimidating people over the phone.
“It (EC) is working at the behest of the BJP. It is calling people over the telephone to threaten and intimidate them,” she claimed.
Later, while speaking at a rally in Balagarh in the same district, Banerjee warned that voting for the BJP would effectively mean "giving up fish, meat, and speaking in Bengali".
“People are not allowed to eat eggs, fish, or meat in the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The same will happen here if the BJP comes to power," Banerjee claimed.
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