In a strong rebuttal to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's statement, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said it was being contemplated to take back Kannada speaking regions from the neighbouring state. Bommai said there are Kannada speaking regions in Maharashtra and it is being contemplated on how to take them back. Pawar had stirred a controversy after he said that an agitation will be launched to include the Karnataka cities of Belagavi, and Nippani to Maharashtra.
In response, Bommai claimed that there is a political crisis in Maharashtra and the entire government is in rough waters. The border is very clear between Karnataka and Maharashtra, he said, adding: "We will not yield to them. They also know it. They are raking it up to survive in politics." "I strongly urge Maharashtra political leaders not to use such language for political gains," he appealed and said that there was question of giving away even an inch of land from Karnataka.