CM to decide on lockdown extension, may toe Centre’s line
BENGALURU:
Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday denied reports of his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, recently was not regarding change of leadership in the state but the meeting was to discuss the COVID situation in state.
After Rumours that Bommai along with BJP state vice-president and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son B Y Vijayendra landed in Delhi as a change of guard was on the cards — few news reports even suggested that Bommai would be the next Chief Minister of the state — he said that we did not even have any such discussions.
‘I would like to clarify that there was no political reason behind our Delhi visit. Other than talks on the issue of COVID, there was no other purpose behind our visit to Delhi. We did not even have any such discussion (change in leadership),’ Bommai told reporters here.
Bommai clarified: “At a time when everyone is fighting against COVID together, such thoughts (change in leadership) should not even emerge. These are all far from truth, pure lies.”
The home minister said he gave details about the oxygen requirement of the state.
He also said that he asked permission to utilise the oxygen produced in the state instead of bringing it from other states and shortage of tankers hitting the oxygen supply.
In response, the Union Home Minister said the Centre would sanction four tankers, Bommai said adding that 10 more tankers would be given to the state in future but it would take some time.
The Minister said this week 2.67 lakh Remdesivir vials would be given by the Centre.
Shah assured Bommai that the Centre would try its best to provide Karnataka’s share of oxygen as directed by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on May 7 stated that the minimum requirement of Karnataka, as projected by the state government on May 5, 2021, was 1,162 metric tonnes.
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