By IANS,
Bangalore : Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Friday vowed to transform Karnataka into a model state in the next three years and begged the opposition, with tears in eyes, to extend an helping hand in the development works.
Addressing a mammoth public meeting at the sprawling Bangalore Palace grounds to mark the two years of the first Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) government in this southern state, an emotional Yeddyurappa said he would rather allow his work to speak and deliver promises made than make tall claims.
“It is with the blessings of the six crore (60 million) people of Karnataka that we have come to power after being in the opposition for over three decades. I will not betray your trust and vow to work the development of the state. I will make this assurance to you by writing in blood,” Yeddyurappa said at the ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ (convention of achievements).
Stung by the strident criticism of the opposition Congress and the Jantata Dal-Secular (JD-S) on various issues, the chief minister said: “I am saddened that the opposition leader in the legislative assembly (Siddaramaiah) chose to stay away from this people’s function despite our humble invitation. Even during the recent Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) here, he did not attend though union ministers Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjun Kharge participated,” Yeddyurappa lamented.
Recalling the contribution of the party’s patriarch Atal Behari Vajpayee as the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha for over four decades, Yeddyurappa said the opposition in the state had as much responsibility as the ruling party in the development of the state.
“There is no point in criticising the government all the time. Our performance is judged by the people, who reposed their faith in the ruling party by voting again in favour of us in various elections held after we came to power in May 2008. The opposition should respect the peoples’ verdict in a democracy than being petty and jealous of our performance,” Yeddyurappa said in a choked voice.
Appealing to the opposition to cooperate with his government in making Karnataka a frontline state, the chief minister said Karnataka had attracted about Rs.5-lakh crore (Rs.5 trillion) worth investments at an investment meet early this month and signed agreements with about 400 global and national firms to set up industries with an employment potential for eight lakh people.
“Our various development schemes such as Bhagyalakshmi for the education of the girl child, free cycles for school-going boys and girls, old-age pension for senior citizens, agriculture loans to farmers at three percent interest rate, Rs.4.5 subsidy for milk growers and micro-finance to women’s self help groups (Sthri Shakti) are immensely benefiting the people across the state,” Yeddyurappa said.
The chief minister, however, did not mention about the sudden resignation of state ombudsman (Lokayukta) Justice N. Santosh Hegde Wednesday on the grounds of indifference by his government in fighting corruption.
Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, party’s national vice president M. Venkaiah Naidu and the entire state cabinet was present on the occasion.