Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has claimed that about 10 to 15 leaders from JD (S) and BJP are likely to join the Congress in the coming days.
Replying to queries from reporters about the likely return to Congress of MLAs from the party, who had joined the BJP in 2019 during the Congress-JD(S) coalition rule, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said several leaders from JD(S) and BJP were ready to join the Congress, and discussions about their entry into the party were underway.
“Their names and number will be disclosed later”, he said before adding that the leaders from JD(S) and BJP joining the Congress include sitting as well as former MLAs.
He said the Congress party was also open to admitting leaders from JD(S) and BJP if they were ready to accept the party’s principles. But, issues like giving them appropriate positions were left to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leadership.
Drought
With regard to declaring drought in various parts of Karnataka in view of poor monsoons, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said the Centre’s guidelines permit the declaration of drought only when the rainfall deficit is more than 60 percent and the dry spell extends continuously for at least three weeks.
The Chief Minister has written to the Centre urging it to reduce the requirement for declaring drought from the existing 60 percent deficit rainfall to 30 percent deficit rainfall. “We have not received a reply from the Centre yet”, he said.
Though we received rains in July, we did not receive rains during June and August. “If there are no rains in the next one week to ten days, the crops could dry up and cause difficulties to the farmers”, he said.
A Cabinet Sub-Committee on declaring drought under the Chairmanship of Revenue Minister will shortly meet to take stock of the situation. The officials have been asked to compile reports on the crop situation in the light of poor rainfall and shortage of water.
Based on the reports, the Cabinet Sub-Committee will take a decision and submit the same to the Cabinet.
To another question, he said the State government is yet to seek financial assistance from the Centre to tackle the drought situation. Both the Centre and State will contribute to the compensation for drought given to the farmers. However, he said a decision on these issues will be taken only after the Cabinet Sub- Committee in the matter meets and takes a decision.
