Village visit of CM a stunt: N Cheluvarayaswamy

Mandya: Taking a dig at Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for his plan to go on the second leg of his 'Gram Vastavya' (village stay) from the  third week of this month, former minister and Congress leader N Cheluvarayaswamy termed it as a 'political stunt' to hoodwink people.

Talking to reporters here, he said the CM had damaged his image so much in the last one year that it would not change even if he resorts to  stunts like 'Grama Vastavya'.  One has to go to the people with achievements and not with this this kind of 'tamasha.’ Talking to one or two poor people during the village stay would not change their economic status. Treating all poor equally and working for their progress was what was  required, he said .

Mr Cheluvarayaswamy advised the state government to announce programmes that would help those in distress. Instead of this, posing for pictures with people and claiming to help them will not help in image building.

"Such activities are not difficult for a CM,  one has to work for the benefit of the six crore population of the state. Without doing this, staying in a village overnight is not going to solve anything", he added.

On the functioning of the coalition government, he opined that it was better to severe ties with the Janata Dal (Secular) and seek a fresh mandate from people as a long time association with that party would cause more damage to the Congress. People were frustated with the  ‘non-performing’ coalition government and were awaiting its early exit, the former minister added.