Kumaraswamy to meet Lalu on rail track doubling

Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday that he would hold talks with the Union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on speeding up the work on doubling the railway track between Bangalore-Mysore.

While work up to Ramanagaram has progressed, further work towards Mysore is held up owing to the reported delay in release of its share of the project cost by the Karnataka government.

Addressing the media after performing the Cauvery pooja at Krishnarajasagar, the chief minister said he had already visited Ramanagaram thrice and inspected the work. He had assured release of funds. He would meet the railway minister during his next visit to Delhi.

He also indicated that helmets may not be made compulsory for two-wheelers as announced earlier. Kumaraswamy said that he would re-examine the proposal in depth responding to the feelings of the people who are opposed to it.

The decision to make helmets compulsory for both the rider and the pillion rider of two wheelers had been taken in the background of a high court direction.

The chief minister rejected the criticism that the judicial inquiry into the bribery charges in the mining industry did not cover the Rs 150-crore allegation made by suspended BJP MLC K Janaradhan Reddy against him.

"The notification issued by the government (announcing the judicial inquiry) covers all the issues for the entire period commencing from the year 2000 to the date on which the notification is issued. It will look into all charges of corruption, bribery and favouritism. The home department is filing the defamation case (against Reddy) probably today," Kumaraswamy said and added that those who had made the above criticism "have no sense."

Kumaraswamy defended the statement made by his father yesterday charging that some BJP leaders were attempting to destabilise the coalition government by levelling charges against his son.

Claiming that there was no groupism and the coalition government was stable, the chief minister said Deve Gowda had made the statement in the interest of the Janata Dal (S) and its national leader and hence it need not be taken seriously. The BJP was also aware of the situation.

The chief minister also performed pooja at Kabini reservoir in H D Kote. Later, he inaugurated a number of development works in Srirangapatna and Mandya.