Vishwanath urges ex-CMs, new MPs to speak for State in Parliament

A.H. Vishwanath, former Minister and MLC, on Wednesday urged former Chief Ministers – H.D. Kumaraswamy, Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, who have been elected to the Lok Sabha – to work for the development of Karnataka.

In the last Lok Sabha, the MPs, who had been elected from the State, did not raise their voice in the Parliament on the problems faced by the State. Such a thing should not happen this time. All the 28 MPs from the State, irrespective of their party affiliations, have to work in unity for the State’s progress, the former MP said at a press conference here.

This time, three former CMs from the State have been elected as the MPs. They and also other MPs have to work in unity towards addressing the problems faced by the State, at the Central level. The former CMs have a lot of experience and this can be made to good use, he suggested.

“Whenever there are issues concerning the State, the former CMs have to take the lead and draw the attention of the Centre,” the former Minister said, in his appeal to Mr. Kumaraswamy, who has been elected from Mandya, Mr. Bommai, an MP from Haveri, and Mr. Shettar, the Member of Parliament from Belagavi.

On the victory of BJP’s Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar in Mysuru Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Vishwanath, while recalling his appeal to the Congress ahead of the polls, said he had urged the Congress not to field its candidate in Mysuru and make way for the unanimous election of Mr. Wadiyar, considering the contributions of the Mysuru kings. However, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister did not listen. The Congress has lost the poll by a huge margin as the people have voted for the scion of the erstwhile royal family.

He said the government has to take the Mysuru MP into confidence while planning development works in the constituency.

Mr. Vishwanath took exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged “hate speeches” during the election campaign and also Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for addressing the people in singular language.