<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Refuting to the “clerk” comment by Modi, Kumaraswamy said in Bengaluru that the former was “reacting to false information”.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Soon after Modi took a dig at him and his coalition government, Kumaraswamy took to Twitter to dismiss the prime minister’s claims.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“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.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kumaraswamy apparently told them that he felt like a clerk, as the Congress was putting a lot of pressure on him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Hubballi, coalition co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah said the prime minister was instigating JD(S) leaders to revolt against the Congress.</p>
<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Refuting to the “clerk” comment by Modi, Kumaraswamy said in Bengaluru that the former was “reacting to false information”.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Soon after Modi took a dig at him and his coalition government, Kumaraswamy took to Twitter to dismiss the prime minister’s claims.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“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.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">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.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kumaraswamy apparently told them that he felt like a clerk, as the Congress was putting a lot of pressure on him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Hubballi, coalition co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah said the prime minister was instigating JD(S) leaders to revolt against the Congress.</p>