Former Chief Minister and Mandya JD(S) candidate H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday lashed out at the Congress government for what he called “misleading” the people in the name of guarantee schemes and asked whether it can give a “guarantee” of Cauvery water to the people of Mandya.
Addressing a rally at Belakavadi village in Malavalli taluk during his election campaign, he said the Congress was seeking votes primarily in the name of guarantee schemes. Paddy and sugarcane crops have gone dry in Mandya for what he called “artificial water shortage” created by the government in Mandya, he charged.
He accused the Congress government of doing “injustice” to the people of Mandya with regard to Cauvery water. Mr. Kumaraswamy also accused the Congress government of not looking after the interests of the people of Karnataka on the Cauvery issue and joining hands with a party at the national level that is opposed to the Mekedatu project.
He said the Congress must make sincere efforts to persuade those opposing the Mekedatu project and get objections cleared. “If the Congress succeeds in its attempts, I will pursue the matter with the Centre. It will be my responsibility,” he maintained.
“Instead of launching permanent works, the Congress is creating programmes that misguide the people. The Congress is an opportunist,” he alleged.
Mr. Kumaraswamy campaigned in K.R. Nagar and Maddur earlier in the day.
