Mysore: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday pooh-poohed former minister Umesh Katti’s demand for declaring Belgaum the second capital of the State.

Replying to reporters’ queries, Siddaramaiah categorically rejected the demand, stressing that the recommendations of Mahajan Commission report were final and Belgaum would remain an integral part of Karnataka. The Marathis living in Belgaum are also Kannadigas, he said.

Katti’s statement lacks wisdom and he should not have made it. Karnataka was unified after much struggle and there is no question of splitting it, the chief minister said.
Siddaramaiah dismissed as “politically motivated” the repeated statements of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray that Belgaum would be made part of Maharashtra if his party was voted to power.

The chief minister supported Governor Vajubhai Vala’s assertion on providing 50 per cent reservation to women in other local bodies. Siddaramaiah said he also favoured giving opportunities to women in Parliament and the Legislative Assembly. He also said women would be given “due importance”, along with senior Congress leaders and youths, in appointments to boards and corporations in the coming days.

But the exercise would take some time. He would meet the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, G Parameshwara, in this regard on Monday.

Siddaramaiah denied writing any letter to the Congress party’s president, Sonia Gandhi.
Central team

The chief minister also said that a central team would visit Karnataka to assess the flood situation. He has written to the Centre that Karnataka suffered a loss of Rs 426 crore. The team will recommend on flood relief package after its visit, he added.