Kumaraswamy a “political villain,” more frustrated than BJP, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

PTI, Oct 25, 2023, 6:19 PM IST

Mysuru: Dubbing JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy a ”political villain,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday claimed that he was ”more frustrated” than the BJP.

He hit out at the former Chief Minister for his recent attacks directed towards him and his government.

”If there is anyone who is a political villain, it is him, it is Mr Kumaraswamy. He has targeted me for watching a cricket match. But when his government (Congress-JD(S) coalition government) was about to collapse, he was sitting in America for a week. What should we call him?” Siddaramaiah said, in response to a question on Kumaraswamy allegedly comparing the Chief Minister to villains in the epic Mahabharata.

Speaking to reporters here, he claimed that, during his entire one year and two months as Chief Minister, Kumaraswamy spent time in a luxury hotel in Bengaluru.

To a question that Kumaraswamy has accused him of destabilising his government leading to its collapse in July, 2019, Siddaramaiah pointed out that earlier, the JD(S) leader had on record, in the Assembly, blamed the BJP for his government’s collapse.

”He had made this statement accusing the BJP for his government’s collapse, during the trust vote in the Assembly, but now he is saying different things and is blaming me, did he mislead the House then” he said, adding Kumaraswamy is ”more frustrated” than the BJP and hence was making such statements.

In the May elections this year to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, the Congress bagged 135 seats, the BJP 66 and the JD(S) 19.

Last month, the JD (S) joined the BJP-led NDA; the two parties said they will have an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls next year.

Lashing out at Kumaraswamy for calling Siddaramaiah ‘Mir Sadiq’, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar too, said the JD(S) leader had blamed the BJP for the collapse of his government and questioned as to how he has joined hands with the same party now.

Mir Sadiq, a minister during Tipu Sultan’s rule, conspired with the British. His name is used when calling someone a traitor.

Pointing out as to how Siddaramaiah, the Congress party, its legislators and leadership stood by him during the then coalition government, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, accused Kumaraswamy of now ”hugging” the same BJP which was responsible for its collapse and challenged him for a debate during the Assembly session in Belagavi and even for a media debate.

”…Who spoke what…let’s bring things on record for future generations to know…earlier I had kept quiet abiding by a few (Vokkaliga) community leaders, but I have to speak now, as we too have self-esteem like you,” he added.

Both Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar belong to the Vokkaliga community.