Will rebuild lives of flood-hit: BS Yediyurappa

HUBBALLI: Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa, who campaigned for the first time in the flood -hit Assembly constituencies of Athani, Kagwad and Gokak in Belagavi district on Saturday for the December 5 bypolls,   wooed the people with promises  to rebuild their houses damaged in the disaster and provide them adequate compensation for their crop loss.

“Our government will provide all basic amenities to the flood victims by shifting their villages and reconstructing them,” he said, claiming that there was no dearth of funds for carrying out flood relief measures in the state.

Making no bones about his indebtedness to  all three disqualified legislators of Belagavi district, whose resignations paved the way for his government in Karnataka,  Mr Yediyurappa said it was “his  duty” to  repay their “sacrifice” by making them ministers if they were elected once again.

“I will come to Athani the next time along with two ministers from the constituency.  All 17 legislators have joined the BJP with a belief in the principles and ideology of the party. Therefore, it is our responsibility to make sure that no injustice is done to them,” he maintained.

In a clear attempt to keep the party’s  Veerashaiva-Lingayat votebank intact, he appealed to the community to vote enmasse for the BJP and asserted that Mr Laxman Savadi would continue to be deputy Chief Minister for the next three-and-half year besides holding the portfolio of Belagavi district in-charge, minister.

Downplaying the rebel factor in Athani and Kagwad, the Chief Minister said  both Mr  Savadi and party candidate, Mahesh Kumatalli were working together like “ two children of one mother.”

Later, addressing a party rally in Gokak, he once again recalled that he had become Chief Minister due to the resignations of the former Congress and JD(S)  legislators led by Mr Ramesh Jarkiholi. “I owe it all to the disqualified legislators as BJP has come to power due to their sacrifice. Congress leaders tried to prevent me from become Chief Minister, but Ramesh supported me by relying on my leadership and ideology although he was offered a ministerial berth in the previous coalition government,” he said.

Mr Yediyurappa also promised that all 15 Assembly segments heading for polls, would be turned into model constituencies of the state.