Bengaluru, March 25 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that he would present two more budgets, provided the Congress high command allows him to do so. Siddaramaiah was speaking in the Karnataka Assembly while replying to the discussion on the budget he had presented on March 6.
In an attempt to remind the chief minister about the power struggle between him and his deputy D K Shivakumar, the Leader of Opposition, R Ashoka, said that he has to present at least one more budget.
Siddaramaiah quickly retorted, saying he will present two more budgets.
"See, I have to present two more budgets. Our government will do so," the chief minister said.
To this, Ashoka wondered whether he was so sure about it.
"If our high command allows me, then I will also present the next two budgets. Our government will come to power again in 2028," Siddaramaiah said.
He challenged Ashoka to declare that he would be the next chief minister.
"Can you say that? We cannot predict the future," he said.
The Leader of Opposition sarcastically remarked that he has made his deputy Shivakumar run around temples, and his latest pilgrimage was to the Kamakhya Temple in Assam.
During the discussion, Siddaramaiah said he always promoted rational thinking, social justice and equality. He was always opposed to the Karma theory, which made people condemn the sufferers.
Ashoka quipped, saying that the chief minister presented the budget at 1.15 am on March 6, keeping in mind the ‘Rahu Kaala’, an inauspicious time.
To this, Siddaramaiah said, "Some people advised me to present it before ‘Rahu Kaala’, but I don’t believe in ‘Rahu Kaala’ or ‘Gulika Kaala’, but being a democratic person, I respected their views and nothing else".
He also said that in the past, he had presented budgets during Rahu Kaala and Gulika Kaala.
The BJP leader taunted that the situation in the past was different from the present time. He has to take note of the auspicious and inauspicious Muhurtha so that he can present the next budget.
Dismissing Ashoka’s comment, Siddaramaiah said, "I never believed in the restrictions associated with Rahu Kaala, Gulika Kaala, Yamaganda Kaala and even solar eclipse. Does anyone eat non-veg food during festivals? I ate mutton on Shivaratri. There is nothing wrong with it. All days are equal".
He said he believed in God, who is omnipresent and not confined to temples only.
Siddaramaiah had presented his 17th budget on March 6 in the Karnataka Assembly, which is a record in the state.