Kumaraswamy meets CM against leasing out 'MySugar' factory

Bengaluru: JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday met Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa requesting him not to permit the leasing out to private industries the state-owned "MySugar" (Mysore Sugar) factory in Mandya. The former Chief Minister also made personal attacks against Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh in connection with the issue, which elicited sharp reaction from the actor-turned politician.

"I met the Chief Minister along with our MLAs and MLCs from Mandya district, as farmer leaders from Mandya district had met me recently regarding discussion at the officials level to hand over the MySugar factory to private players," Kumaraswamy said. He pointed out that the factory built during the time of "Maharajas" of Mysuru and Sir M Visvesvaraya has a history and "it is the wish of everyone" that it should be under the government's control.

"I met the Chief Minister today and requested him that the MySugar factory in Mandya should not be given to private hands for any reason, as it has its own history. The Chief Minister has assured me that he will not permit the factory to go into private hands.I thank him on behalf of the people of Mandya," he told reporters. The JD(S) leader along with his party legislators met Yediyurappa at the latter's official residence, which the CMO said was a "courtesy call".

Similar visits by the former Chief Minister to Yediyurappa's residence in September and November last year had then created a flutter in political circles, triggering speculation about possible political realignments. Further, noting that there was a proposal before the government to give the MySugar factory on a 40 years lease to a private party, he requested the Chief Minister not accept it for any reason, and hit out at Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, without taking her name.

"You have to ask her...probably Mandya district never had such a Member of Parliament and will never have one," he said in response to a question on who was pushing for the proposal. Citing Sumalatha's recent statement expressing concerns about the safety of KRS dam at a meeting, he said, the MP has spoken as though she will protect the dam.

"Probably if she is made to sleep at the doors of KRS everything will be tightened and the water won't flow. Without knowing about the work that is to be done, making unnecessary statements out of personal grudge won't work," the JD(S) leader said. Claiming that the MP got elected on the basis of sympathy, Kumaraswamy said, "such opportunities will not come often; the opportunity that she has got because of the sympathy should be utilised properly by working for the people or else they will teach her a lesson".

Hitting back at Kumaraswamy for personal attacks against her, Sumalatha said, it shows his "culture and personality." "Parliament election results in Mandya have proved as to whom the people wanted to teach a lesson, she said, "Leave aside that I'm a MP- making personal attacks against a woman- what kind of culture is this? You were a former CM, don't you have control over your language? Don't you have basic knowledge about how to speak in public," she said.

Rejecting charges that she was pushing for handing over MySugar factory to private industries, the MP said she had only requested the Chief Minister to open the factory in "some model" following an appeal by the farmers, and had said that it is left for the government as to which model it opts for. Noting that illegal mining was happening near KRS dam and it may cause damage to it, Sumalatha said she has not personally accused anybody behind it and, following her initiative, action was taken and a fine was imposed against those who indulged in such activities.

"...why is someone worried about it, is the question you (media) have to ask them," she added. Nikhil, the son of then Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, was defeated by Sumalatha, an independent candidate, by 1,25,876 votes in the 2019 polls in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, which had seen a bitterly contested campaign. During the election campaign, several JD(S) leaders had indulged in personal attacks against Sumalatha, the widow of popular actor-turned politician M H Ambareesh.