Ballari
Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre said that BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is making statements out of frustration. Speaking to media persons in the city, he said,  The BJP was defeated in the last assembly elections. The BJP will also suffer a humiliating defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He is making such statements out of fear, he said.
There is no question of the Congress weakening. What is wrong if our leadership accepts our principles and comes to the party? We have not done Operation Hastha like the BJP. There is no need for the Congress party to do Operation Hasta. If someone says he will come to the party voluntarily, our party high command will decide, he said.
Reacting to former Minister Sriramulu’s statement that the government came through lottery, he said Sriramulu’s inner mind is towards joining Congress.Â
Minister Ishwar Khandre, who visited the city for the first time as Minister, said he had already held a progress review meeting of both the districts in Vijayanagar and Ballari. Â We have organized various programmes for forest conservation, the minister said.
A programme to plant 5 crore saplings across the state has already been launched on the occasion of Vanmahotsava. Our government has taken several steps to solve the problems of tribals, forest dwellers. We have also resolved to create greater awareness about environmental pollution, he said.
Forest encroachments will be cleared in the state without causing any harm to anyone. In addition, human-animal conflicts are taking place in different parts of the state. I visited various districts in this regard. So far, 28 people have died. Officials have been asked to take action in this regard. In the district too, four people were killed in bear attacks. The Minister said various steps are being taken in this regard.
