HDK emerges go-to man in Delhi for Karnataka's needs

With a rise in his political stock, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has emerged as the face of Karnataka for the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 

Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) state president who represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, has been showered with importance by the Modi administration. 

Apart from being given the steel and heavy industries portfolios, the two-time chief minister was inducted into the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs and made a special invitee to the NITI Aayog. 

Also, several Congress ministers here are looking to Kumaraswamy for help in obtaining approvals for various state-related projects. 

For instance, at the recently-concluded session of the legislature, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said in the Assembly that he would hope for Kumaraswamy’s intervention in getting approvals for new national highways in the state.

Jarkiholi said a proposal to upgrade 32 state highways as national highways was approved by the Centre in 2017.

“But later it was put on hold. It is now pending in the NITI Aayog. Kumaraswamy is now its member. I’ll talk to him about this,” the minister said. 

Similarly, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge and Industries Minister M B Patil have expressed the need for Kumaraswamy’s intervention for Karnataka to get investments in the semiconductor sector.

Speaking in the Legislative Council, Patil even requested the JD(S) MLCs to arrange for a meeting with Kumaraswamy.