Mysuru: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises H D Kumaraswamy warned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D K Shivakumar, to mend their ways, or else he would not rest till they both are unseated.
Kumaraswamy, also former chief minister and JD(S) state president, was speaking during the valedictory convention of the BJP-JD(S) alliance ‘Mysuru-Chalo Padayatre’, held on Maharaja’s College Grounds, in Mysuru, on Saturday.
To counter the video, played by the Congress, during their Janandolana convention at the same venue, on Friday, Kumaraswamy played a video on Shivakumar. It also included a bit on Siddaramaiah and his son Dr Yathindra.
'Trying to create a rift between JD(S) and BJP'
Citing the statement of Shivakumar that he stands like a rock, to protect Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy said, “He was described as a trouble-shooter for me, when I was CM of the JD(S)-Congress coalition. But, you know what happened to me. Just imagine, if the rock falls on Siddaramaiah.”
To a comment of Shivakumar that Kumaraswamy is a cobra snake, he said, he is a cobra for those who loot public money. “The Congress leaders are trying to create a rift between the JD(S) and BJP and also between me and former CM B S Yediyurappa. They are resorting to cheap tricks, like exhibiting old videos. My statements on Yediyurappa were all political. I always maintained a cordial personal relationship with him. If not for Yediyurappa and BJP, I would not have become CM,” he recalled.
“Can anyone forget that Shivakumar was the cause for the suicide of Siddartha, son-in-law of former CM S M Krishna, who mentored Shivakumar to become a powerful leader,” he pointed out.
'CM not for section of people, but for 6.5 crore people of Karnataka’
Later, Kumaraswamy also implied that Siddaramaiah was trying to get sympathy by stating that all other leaders are jealous of him for being from a backward community.
He noted that Siddaramaiah should remember that he is the CM of the whole 6.5 crore population of Karnataka and not just a particular section of society.
“If Siddaramaiah does good work for the State, why will anybody envy him? It is the responsibility and duty of the opposition, to expose the scams of the ruling party in the interest of the State and its people. Siddaramaiah has a problem with this. In a reverse case, the ruling party is posing questions at the opposition parties,” he said.
Video politics
A video was played on the huge LED screens, like the statements of the JD(S) and BJP leader, abusing each other was played in the Congress convention on Friday.
The video had clippings of Siddaramaiah swearing to rout the Congress; MLC Dr Yathindra speaking to his father Siddaramaiah over phone, lobbying for transfer of government officials; B K Hariprasad commenting adversely against Siddaramaiah; Janardhana Poojary terming Siddaramaiah as Shani; Shivakumar’s mother abusing Siddaramaiah; Ramesh Kumar admitting that the Congress leaders have amassed wealth enough for generations; Ugrappa commenting on Shivakumar as a drunkard; Shivakumar admitting his links with the underworld; an old friend of Shivakumar narrating how Shivakumar had a knack to make money, during his youth itself; etc.