I do not expect BJP to come to a public debate on development works in Karnataka: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he does not expect the BJP leaders to come to a public debate on the development works in the State, in response to his invitation.

When asked if he expected the BJP leaders to take part in a debate, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had invited them several times earlier also. “People who lie do not come,” he said, dubbing the BJP leaders as “liars”.

However, the Chief Minister said he was ready to participate in the debate if the BJP leaders came forward.

The Congress government organised a convention in Vijayanagar earlier this year to mark two years of its rule in the State, he said, adding that the “BJP’s lies” about the State government were exposed with more than two lakh people participating in the programme.

The State government was spending ₹52,000 crore every year on the guarantee programmes. He said the BJP, which criticises the State government, had copied its guarantee programmes in other States.

GST WOES OF SMALL TRADERS

With regard to complaints of small traders receiving notices from the Commercial Taxes Department for transactions through UPI, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his government will discuss the matter with the Centre and the department and will make a decision.

He said Goods and Sales Tax (GST) Council does not come under the State government. However, the government will take up the matter with the Union government and discuss it with the State’s Commercial Taxes Department.

When asked about the invitation extended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Minister for Information and Technology Nara Lokesh to companies to invest in their State following Karnataka government’s decision to drop notification for land acquisition in Devanahalli, Mr. Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that no company will leave Karnataka.

“We did not say that we will not give land to investors. We will give land. No industry will leave Karnataka,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said, ruling out any capital flight from Karnataka despite the “politics” played by Mr. Naidu and his son.