H D Kumaraswamy.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday warned the ruling Congress in Karnataka of ‘destruction’ if it conspires against senior BJP and JD(S) leaders.
Kumaraswamy said this during his first visit to the state after being inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. “The Congress, which conspired against my father former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to finish our family, is now doing the same against former chief minister B S Yediyurappa,” Kumaraswamy charged.
Accusing the Congress of targeting Yediyurappa, he questioned the party’s leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, “What all the conspiracies you are hatching against 82-year-old Yediyurappa? What all you had conspired to finish off our family? After Deve Gowda, you are targeting Yediyurappa now. This is a clear signal that Congress will be completely eliminated from the state.”
On arrest warrant
Speaking about the arrest warrant issued against Yediyurappa, he said he was hurt by the way the government is behaving. “What were they doing for the last four months? If at all the incident occurred, why didn’t they initiate action all these months?” he questioned the government and the officials concerned.
Kumaraswamy gave the example of the Chitradurga-based Murugha Mutt seer Murugharajendra Sharana who was arrested in a Pocso case within 24 hours after the complaint was registered. He said the alliance partners would continue to fight against Congress and said the government is misusing the power of police in the state.
Not taking the name of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Kumaraswamy indirectly said, “Some leaders are having sleepless nights after I have been inducted into Modi’s cabinet. To win the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, they did vindictive politics by circulating pen drives.” Hundreds of JD(S) workers and leaders welcomed Kumaraswamy and took out a mega bike rally.