Hitting out at Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah for his comments on the Janata Dal (Secular) decision to field Muslim candidates for the bypolls in Sindgi and Hangal Assembly constituencies, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy wondered why Mr. Siddaramaiah is bothered about his party’s decision.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said that his party need not ask permission from Mr. Siddaramaiah or any other party to field candidates. What right Mr. Siddaramaiah has to comment on the selection of Janata Dal(S)candidates, he asked.
He was speaking to media persons at Kalaburagi Airport on Thursday before leaving for Sindgi.
Reacting to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s statement that the Janata Dal(S) is giving ticket to Muslim candidates to divide Congress votes, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that Mr. Siddaramaiah professes to have a secular character but has done nothing to unite secular forces and for the welfare of minorities, except appeasing them for their votes.
Criticising Mr. Siddaramaiah for calling the Janata Dal(S) the B team of the BJP, Mr. Kumaraswamy asserted that the Congress was responsible for the BJP’s victory.
“Mr. Siddaramaiah was never happy with the government formation under me; he plotted mass resignations by MLAs to topple the coalition government. If the BJP is in power in the State at present, it is because of the Congress and Mr. Siddaramaiah,” he reiterated.
Replying to a question on Income Tax raid, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the raid on B.S. Yediyurappa’s former personal assistant’s house and office might be due to internal conflicts in the BJP.
