New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said he is committed to waive farm loans or else he will retire from politics, and asked people not to fall prey to the "BJP's conspiracy" as he locked horns with BS Yeddyurappa.
The JD-S leader, who was sworn-in Karnataka Chief Minister last week after the Congress extended unconditional support to his party, said he is ready with the guidelines on farm loan waiver, details of which will be disclosed on Wednesday.
Kumaraswamy was talking to reporters after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I have clearly said that I will waive farm loans. I had promised during election that I will do it in 24 hours. That is true. At least you should give time to breathe. Today, I have limitations.”
"If I don't do it, have clearly said that I will retire from politics and I will resign as chief minister. Why cannot you wait for some time?" Kumaraswamy told reporters.
He said he has heard statements by BJP leaders including BS Yeddyurappa on the issue of farm loan waiver. "I am not sitting quiet. I am not Yeddyurappa to sit quiet." "The guidelines to waive farm loans have been kept ready. They will be shared before the public on Wednesday in Bengaluru," he told reporters.
The Karnataka chief minister accused the BJP of conspiring against him and urged the people not to fall prey to it. The JD-S leader said his government is for the people and he will serve the people till the time he is the chief minister.
"Don't panic and get confused (by BJP statements). Not only on farm loan issue, I will work on other matters related to people. There will be a difference when I work as CM," he claimed.
In response, Yeddyurappa said Kumaraswamy should resign as the CM if he can’t deliver on his promise within a week.
"Kumaraswamy has told the media that he will resign from the chief minister's post if he fails to deliver on Rs 53,000 crore farm loan waiver within a week. We will wait until then and decide on the next course of action," he told reporters here.
His threat came on a day when the BJP had called for a state-wide bandh, which evoked a tepid response. Reacting to the dull response to the bandh call, Yeddyurappa said as per his information, it has received good response.
"I do not want to blame anyone (including media). The bandh has received a good response and I am convinced farmers are with us on the farm loan waiver issue," he said.
He also attacked Congress-JDS government over delay in forming the ministry, even five days after Kumaraswamy passed the floor test.
"People are already imagining about the fate of the administration in the midst of political drama enacted at New Delhi over the allocation of portfolios," he said.
"The political drama over allocation of portfolios continues at New Delhi. Rahul Gandhi is not in India. He is in the U.S. and the mantle of cabinet formation has been given to Ghulam Nabi Azad. People are imagining how effectively they (coalition government) will govern," he said.
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