CM, BSY should not see N-K as vote bank, says JD(S)

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa should focus more on development of North Karnataka rather than looking at the region as a vote bank, JD(S) vice president and MLA N H Konareddy said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Konareddy, who represents the Navalgund constituency in Dharwad district, said both Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa had suddenly become very eager to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from North Karnataka

“The leaders should show more concern regarding the development of North Karnataka,” he said and added that issues like the Mahadayi river water dispute had remained unresolved despite the Congress and the BJP holding the reigns of power. He charged that implementation of Article 371 J had taken a back seat in Hyderabad-Karnataka, but Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa had not made any effort to reach out to the region.

He said when JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy had rented a house in Hubballi, the BJP and the Congress leaders had dubbed it as an “election gimmick”. “What are the Congress and the BJP leaders doing now ?” Konareddy asked.