K a r w a r: UNION Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari accused Siddaramaiah government of not focusing on development in last five years and responding to the Union Government’s Rs 5,000 crore proposal for developing Belekeri port near Karwar.

Addressing an election rally at Karwar on Monday, he said even after repeated requests for the state government’s nod to develop Belekeri port, Siddaramaiah did not respond to the Centre’s proposal. “There is no land available near Goa port.

Therefore, the Union Government wants to make Belekeri port as an alternative one. It will generate nearly 50,000 direct and indirect employment. He said within a few days, the BJP government will swear-in in the state and it will take up the project Once developed, the port will change the economy of Uttara Kannada district.

He requested the people to vote for the BJP candidate. He said in southern states, a huge amount of water is flowing into the sea. But still they are fighting among themselves. Therefore the Water Resource Ministry has come up with a project of linking rivers from Ganga to Kaveri at a cost of Rs 8 lakh crore. After the environmental study, the project will be taken up, he said.

 Lashing out at the state government, he said the Congress government has been doing politics by dividing the society and communities. But, the Modi government wants to take all communities and castes together under ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ mantra. Many leaders from the state and neighbouring Goa were present at the function.