Karnataka govt staring at crisis? Kumaraswamy claims ‘45 Cong MLAs in touch with rival BJP’

New Delhi: Days ago, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s remarks on staying as Chief Minister for a full five-year tenure created a flutter within the ranks. Now, a shocking ‘disclosure’ by former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy is set to stir up hornet’s nest.

Kumaraswamy on Thursday claimed that at least 45 Congress legislators of the state are in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. He cited a state intelligence report to buttress his claims of ‘deep rift’ in the ruling dispensation.

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Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy claims 45 Congress MLAs are in touch with BJP.

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The Janata Dal (JD-S) president made these remarks during a visit to famed Hasanamba temple in Hassan along with party MLAs.

Kumaraswamy, when asked about reports of fissures & divisions within his party, retorted that Congress CM Siddramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar should first safeguard their legislators inspite of luring other party MLAs. He also criticized the grand old party for its futile tactics to poach JD(S) MLAs.

Kumaraswamy lashed out at the ruling Congress dispensation and warned people that if it stays in power for 5 years, it will ruin the state’s financial well-being ‘beyond repair’.

He said that Congress govt was ‘emptying’ the coffers of state in name of welfare schemes and said, “if this continues, the financial burden will cross Rs 10 lakh crore.”

“In name of guarantee schemes, crores are being looted by the ruling dispensation,” he alleged.

The JD(S) chief claimed that Congress, despite having clear majority in the House is getting uncomfortable because of divisions within and this was prompting them to look at other parties with a possible aim of poaching.

Kumaraswamy’s claims amid defection talks

Kumaraswamy, also spoke on the JD(S)-BJP alignment in the state and said that the alliance will take final shape by December, this year.

Kumaraswamy took all 19 JD (S) legislators to the famous temple in Hassan as a show of strength & unity amid talks of defection within the party. Some reports claimed that Congress was wooing the JD(S) MLA and some of them are verge of jumping the ship to grand old party.

In a strong rejoinder, the JD(S) President said that Congress leaders should first set their own house in order and said that state govt’s duplicity came to fore as it was itself luring other party MLAs while complaining about BJP’s ‘Operation Kamal’.

When asked about why 136-member strong Congress party would eye JD(S) MLAs, he said that the ruling party was ‘petrified’ of proposed BJP-JD(S) alliance and was hence resorting to ‘cheap politics’.

It may be noted that Karnataka Congress unit is apparently caught in a deep schism over ‘rotation of CM after mid-term’. Though, no formal agreement was signed but a popular notion floated after Congress govt formation in Karnataka was that Siddaramaiah would stay as CM for 2.5 years and then will make way for new leadership.