As he is facing the first ever major political crisis, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who is heading a coalition Government blamed BJP for stoking the sentiments for a separate State for North Karnataka for electoral gains. He held an emergency meeting with leaders from North Karnataka on Tuesday and promised to visit all 13 districts in the next month or two.
He said, “I held a meeting with farmers from all 30 districts in the State. Yeddyurappa did not attend it. He is now aiding the separate north Karnataka demand through some disgruntled elements. They are upset that I became CM. That’s why they are doing this drama. After the Parliament elections, they will not talk about it,” he told party leaders.
Several prominent leaders from north Karnataka regions have opposed the separate state demand. Veteran activist and writer Patil Puttappa, who had participated in the Karnataka Unification Movement in the 1950s, dismissed it as “foolish”.
Senior Congress and MlA MB Patil has rubbished the claims that Government was not doing much for the north Karnataka.
