Will become Karnataka CM again before 2028, says HD Kumaraswamy
Mandya (Karnataka), Oct 19: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday asserted that he would become the Chief Minister of Karnataka once again before 2028.
He also predicted the fall of the Congress government due to dissatisfaction within the party.
"It is certain that this government won't last until 2028. I am confident that the people will give me another opportunity, and I will become Chief Minister again," the Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries told reporters here.
Kumaraswamy headed the coalition government twice as Chief Minister -- from February 2006 to October 2007 and from May 2018 to July 2019.
"The opportunity to become CM will come before 2028. I am not a fortune-teller, but I am saying this," he added.
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He reposed faith in the people who would help realise his dream.
"If the people wish, why shouldn't I become the Chief Minister? Even now, I am appealing to the people to give me a five-year term as Chief Minister," the JD(S) second-in-command said.
He rued that his previous stint as Chief Minister of Karnataka for 14 months was under 'someone else's influence'.
"Even though the government was run under another party’s influence, the people have not forgotten the pro-people programmes we implemented."
The Minister said if given an opportunity, he will do excellent work and no family should have to beg for survival.
Kumaraswamy alleged that money is being looted in the state and the government assets are being seized. If this is stopped, the government can implement programmes where people earn at least Rs 10,000 instead of receiving just Rs 2,000 from the government.
He also predicted the fall of the Congress government in the state.
According to him, the squabbling would lead to its collapse.
"The Congress government here won't last longer. The people of the state and the MLAs of that party will be the ones to topple it," the Minister said.
Kumaraswamy claimed that there is a growing dissatisfaction among the Congress MLAs.
"We don’t know when it will explode, but let’s wait and watch," he added.
Kumaraswamy, however, clarified that the unified opposition of BJP and the JD(S) were not trying to topple their government.
"It's their MLAs who are destabilising the foundation of this government."
Due to the government's lack of allocation of funds for development, MLAs are unable to visit villages and meet the people, he pointed out.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
