The Hindu Business Line : Development is priority: Yediyurappa

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which romped to a victory that still fell short of a simple majority, has indicated that it would step up efforts to develop infrastructure, agriculture and industry in the State.

Speaking to the media here, the BJP Chief Minister designate, Mr B.S. Yediyurappa, said “Karnataka’s development is the most important agenda for us now. That is the manifesto and we will implement it.”

Mr Yediyurappa is familiar with development issues including power and infrastructure, since he was the Finance Minister in the short-lived BJP-JD(S) government in 2006 and 2007 and the Chief Minister for a brief period of seven days, before the coalition fell apart.

Power shortages

The chorus for infrastructure development has already begun. Karnataka is already faced with crippling power shortages and capacity shortfalls. The State has a peaking deficit of 12 per cent.

Reforms in the power and farm sectors have come to a halt in the four years of political instability.

The development issues are expected to find place in the BJP’s budget likely to be presented within the next two months.

The BJP won a tally of 110 seats in the 224-member Assembly, but is still short of a simple majority. However, some independents have already agreed to support the party to reach the figure of 113 for a simple majority. The Congress Party has emerged as the second largest, with a tally of 80 and the Janata Dal (S), led by the former Prime Minister, Mr Deve Gowda, won 28 seats.

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