Belagavi to be Second Capital of Karnataka? HD Kumaraswamy Mulling Move to Quell Statehood Agitation
Kumaraswamy said he would had implemented the move 12 years ago had he stayed on as the chief minister.
Bengaluru, Aug 1: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is mulling over a move which he considers to be an antidote to the separate statehood agitation in the north. In order to bring the government closer to the less-developed portion of the state, he is in favour of declaring Belagavi as the second state capital.
Speaking to reporters today, Kumaraswamy said he is firm on making the Suvarna Soudha in Belgaum - modelled on the lines of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru - as the second permanent state secretariat.
"There are two Upa Lokayukta's in the state. I have plans to shift one Upa Lokayukta to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. Then there are about five or six RTI commissioners. Among them, I plan to shift three to northern districts - one to Kalaburagi and other two to Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha," Kumaraswamy said.
The Chief Minister further claimed that instead of conducting only the Winter session of assembly in Belagavi, he intends to divide the all legislative seatings equally between Bengaluru and the proposed new capital.
Kumaraswamy's statement came a day after he met a delegation of protesting groups from the north who have called a bandh on August 2 in the northern districts to protest what they call as the "step-motherly treatment" by the government.
Kumaraswamy, while addressing the representatives of the agitating groups, said he understands the pain of the northern populace as their part of the state has remained significantly undeveloped as compared to the prosperous districts of the south.
The 58-year-old, who has taken oath as the CM on the second occasion, claims that during his erstwhile tenure, he had proposed to establish Belagavi as the second capital. "I wanted to do it 12 years ago, but I lost power soon," he said, referring to the BJP walking out of his government in 2008.
"The government which succeeded mine did not take up the suggestion," he added, referring to the Yeddyurappa-led BJP which stormed to power in 2008.
Groups in North Karnataka have called a bandh tomorrow, August 2, to protest against the lack of budgetary allocations made for the development of the northern districts.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2018 06:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).