Karnataka Horticulture Minister asks Law Minister Madhuswamy to quit over viral audio clip

'We are not running a government here, we are just managing, pulling through for the next 7-8 months,' Madhuswamy was heard saying in a purported phone call that went viral

Planning Minister Munirathna on Monday asked his Cabinet colleague J C Madhuswamy (JCM) to resign if he wants to criticise the functioning of the BJP government.

Munirathna was referring to a viral phone conversation in which Madhuswamy, the law minister, is purportedly heard saying that there is no government, but only management.

“If there’s no government and the only management is taking place, (Madhuswamy) should resign as a minister and then make such statements,” Munirathna said. “He’s a part of the government. He’s participating in Cabinet meetings. Being in a responsible position, it’s wrong to speak like that. Let him resign as minister and then speak,” he said.

Last week, Cooperation Minister S T Somashekhar criticised Madhuswamy.

Also Read | Madhuswamy jibe: Somashekhar says govt working fine

However, Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan came to Madhuswamy’s rescue. “There’s no way Madhuswamy would give such a statement. Someone in the Opposition must have created it,” he said.

The audio clip was used by Congress to attack the BJP government.

‘Collective leadership’

Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the BJP would fight next year’s Assembly elections under a “collective leadership” and win 140 seats.

“We will return with a full majority. We will fight the election under collective leadership. We will win over 140 seats, no doubt,” Yediyurappa said at the ‘Amruta Bharatige Karunada Jatre’ event organised by the BJP.

The Lingayat strongman said he would tour the state to mobilise support for the BJP. “The Congress gave enough harassment to Ambedkar. I will go all over the state and make people aware of this. I will also highlight our development works and tour the state,” he said.

Appreciating Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for his work, Yediyurappa said the government has ensured social justice for all classes of society.

“The Congress is acting as though they’ve come to power. But, they’ll face a suffocating situation,” Yediyurappa said.