Nanjangud : The official function to launch various development works by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah turned out to be a platform to indirectly criticise V Srinivas Prasad, who resigned as an MLA and quit Congress party after he was dropped from the Cabinet.

The programme was held at Srikanteshwara Temple premises in Nanjangud, on Thursday. PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa and MP R Dhruvanarayan also took indirect jibes at Srinivas Prasad.

Siddaramaiah said that there is no need for him to learn a lesson on self-esteem from anyone. Mahadevappa ridiculed that a few people were following ‘Manuvada’ due to ‘increased self-pride’.

Farmers who interrupted the chief minister’s speech asked him to waive farm loans. The CM said, the state is ready to waive 50% of agrarian loans if the Centre waives off farm loans extended by the nationalised banks and the Central agencies. Siddaramaiah explained that of the Rs 45,000-crore farm loan, Rs 35,000 crore had been availed from nationalised banks and only Rs 10,000 crore was provided by the state government.

Though the programme was organised by the district administration and various other government agencies, a host of Congressmen, including Siddaramaiah’s son, Dr Yatheendra Siddaramaiah, Mahadevappa’s son Sunil Bose, DCC president Dr B J Vijaykumar, and K Marigowda, shared the stage along with people representatives. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait and other leaders were also present.