UNI

Bangalore, Jul 30: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today categorically said in the State Assembly that the Janata Dal (S) will stand by its word and transfer power to its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party in October.

Replying to a debate on the demand for grants for the departments held by him, Mr Kumaraswamy said there was good internal adjustment and arrangements between JD (S) and BJP.

The chief minister denied any violation in auctioning land recovered from encroachers in Bangalore Urban district and said it was carried out within the legal framework and auctioned in accordance with the guidance value.

Refuting the oppositions charge of involvement of a syndicate of a few persons in purchasing the land in auctions, he said atleast 73 people had taken part in it.

Kumaraswamy said his government had taken several measures to improve the fiscal discipline. The coalition government was committed to progress and would not lag behind in this issue, he added.

He also said he had become the chief minister unexpectedly and much against the wishes of his father and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. He had bowed to the pressure from party MLAs and claimed that he had given good governance.

''I was thinking of sitting in the last benches for another ten years, but unexpectedly I became the Chief Minister...By the grace of God or people I am here today and giving good governance and being amid people of the State through this gram vastavyas,'' he said.