Karnataka CM may present budget on Feb 14

Keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to present the state budget on February 14, two weeks earlier than the normal practice.

“This year’s budget will be presented two weeks earlier in view of the oncoming Lok Sabha elections,” he told reporters after a Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bangalore. “Probably on February 14.”

This will be Siddaramaiah’s second budget as the Chief Minister and ninth in all — seven as Deputy Chief Minister under H D Deve Gowda, J H Patel and N Dharam Singh governments.

After he presents his ninth budget, Siddaramaiah will be counted among the elite few ministers who have presented a long string of budgets in Assemblies.