Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday mocked the Grand Alliance, saying that it had already reduced its first government’s chief minister in Karnataka to clerk.
“In Karnataka, Grand Alliance’s first government was formed. What is the chief minister saying now, just a few months after he came to power? He is so disturbed that they (grand alliance) made him a mere clerk, instead of a chief minister,” Modi said.
Addressing the BJP national conclave here, the prime minister made a reference to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s statement at a recent meeting of JD(S) leaders in Bengaluru, that he was functioning like a clerk and not like a chief minister, due to Congress’s interference in everything.
Reacting to the prime minister’s comments, former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda said the JD(S) also had a bad experience when it was part of the BJP-JD(S) coalition the government in Karnataka earlier.
Defending the prime minister’s statement, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said “the prime minister just made a reference to the statement made by Kumaraswamy, expressing his helplessness. The Congress-JD(S) alliance will not last long.”
Refuting to the “clerk” comment by Modi, Kumaraswamy said in Bengaluru that the former was “reacting to false information”.
Soon after Modi took a dig at him and his coalition government, Kumaraswamy took to Twitter to dismiss the prime minister’s claims.
“I am amused to see Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi reacting to a statement which I never made. After farmers loan, this is the second time he is reacting to false information/statement. Such statements won’t deter our coalition government from the development agenda.”
During his valedictory remarks at the BJP national convention, Modi said, “Chief Minister of Karnataka (H D Kumaraswamy) is saying that he is working like a clerk and not as a chief minister. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the governments are being threatened (by allies) to take back cases or face the consequences.”
Modi’s reference to Kumaraswamy comes a few days after he reportedly expressed his dismay over the Congress’ interference in the everyday functioning of his government, while addressing the JD(S) cadre.
Kumaraswamy apparently told them that he felt like a clerk, as the Congress was putting a lot of pressure on him.
In Hubballi, coalition co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah said the prime minister was instigating JD(S) leaders to revolt against the Congress.