From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jul 29: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, in his first visit to his native place of Hubballi on Thursday, said he would be flying to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other national leaders on Saturday morning and will visit Delhi again in two or three days to discuss the Cabinet formation and its composition.
Answering questions on former Chief Minister and senior party leader Jagadish Shettar’s statement that he would not like to join the Cabinet and would like to work for the party, Bommai said he is a very veteran leader and has expressed his personal opinion.
“Still, I will met him (Shettar) and discuss with him. We have been personal friends even before my entry into BJP and politics. I have the highest regard, love and respect for him. I will personally discuss with him and consult party leaders to sort out the issue,’’ he said.
He declared that his government would accord priority for the development of the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad as they were the second biggest urban agglomeration in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters before flying off to Karwar for inspection of the flood-affected areas of Uttara Kannada district, the Chief Minister said Hubballi was very close to his heart and promised to try and solve the problems of the twin cities and work for their development.
“I have many friends here and did my education in Hubballi. I never imagined that I will visit Hubballi as a Chief Minister. With the support of the party and national BJP leaders and the blessings of former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, I have risen to become the Chief Minister. Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, senior party leader Jagadish Shettar and many other legislators friends in the twin cities have made BJP a formidable force in this region,’’ he said and assured that he will discuss with party leaders and seniors and make honest efforts to implement their suggestions.
In response to questions on the height of the Almatti Dam, he said the Supreme Court is likely to pronounce its verdict on Andhra Pradesh government’s petition against the award of the Justice Brijesh Kumar Patel Tribunal on the sharing of the Krishna river waters in the next one and half months.
“We are awaiting the apex court’s verdict and the government is confident of being permitted to utilise the State’s share of waters. The decision on increasing the height of Almatti dam will be taken after the Supreme Court’s verdict,’’ he said.
Increasing the height of the Almatti dam will help the State to provide irrigation facilities to additional 13.5 lakh acres, he explained.