‘Kumaraswamy will tolerate things as long as he can’: H D Revanna

Team Udayavani, Dec 28, 2018, 5:36 PM IST

Bengaluru: Discontent within the ruling coalition in Karnataka has once again come to the fore, with senior JD(S) minister H D Revanna Friday saying his brother and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will “tolerate things as long as he can”.

The PWD minister also hit out at the Congress for reportedly taking away the home department from a SC leader like G Parameshwara, who is also the deputy chief minister.

“Kumaraswamy will tolerate as long as he can, but one day what will happen? We are not sitting here fearing (about losing power),” Revanna told reporters here in response to a question about a Congressman expected to be appointed as the chief minister’s political secretary.

Asked whether he was saying that the chief minister was tolerating despite Congress’s ‘high handedness’, he tried to evade the question, saying the party leadership decides all issues and he will not interfere.

“Why should I say there is lack of coordination between JD(S) and Congress. Everything will be discussed and decided by JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda, chief minister, Congress leaders and their general secretary KC Venugopal,” he added.

Revanna’s remarks have come at a time when JD(S) workers and local leaders have asked the leadership to contest all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the coming parliamentary polls, unhappy over the Congress’s attitude towards the ruling coalition in Karnataka.

As per the recommendation sent to Chief Minister Kumaraswamy by Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, the Home Ministry has been allocated to M B Patil, who was inducted into the cabinet on Saturday.

According to reports, the meeting between top party leaders here on Wednesday to decide on portfolios was not cordial, as Parameshwara expressed displeasure over being asked to give up some key portfolios, especially home ministry that he has, by Siddaramaiah.

However, both Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara had rubbished the reports they had squabbled over the issue.

Revanna has been constantly accused by the Congress of interfering in other ministries.

Recently several local level leaders of the Congress party had petitioned CLP leader Siddaramaiah about alleged ill-treatment to them under the coalition government and working style of a few JD(S) ministers, especially Revanna.