New Delhi:A day after Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy broke down while saying he was unhappy heading the state’s Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government, deputy chief minister of the state Karnataka G Parameshwara attempted damage control.

Kumaraswamy said his party workers were happy while he was not. “You are happy that your brother has become the chief minister, but I am not happy. The pain that I have within me, I have it like Vishakantha (a reference to Lord Shiva drinking poison). I did not become the chief minister to flaunt the title, but to fulfill the unfinished agenda of my father,” he said at a JD(S) felicitation programme.

Kumaraswamy has been under pressure over a farm loan waiver since he took over in May. He has faced criticism after he presented his first Budget on July 5.Many have called it Hassan-Ramanagara budget, referring to its alleged focus on southern Karnataka’s Vokkaliga strongholds of JD(S).

Congress leader HK Patil wrote to Kumaraswamy, expressing his displeasure that the budget did not announce any new schemes for minority communities and for the state’s northern regions.Kumaraswamy alluded to the pressure he was facing from the Congress.

“Please understand why I am saying this. People say I should give 7kg free rice (under the Anna Bhagya scheme), but for this, I need to raise money. Then you also ask me not to increase taxes as well,” he said.

He appeared to be responding to coalition coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah’s letter last week telling Kumaraswamy that there should be no reduction in the amount of rice distributed under the scheme as indicated in the budget. “It is my understanding that you do not realise how many people will be affected by this,” Siddaramaiah wrote.