Former Minister and BJP legislator A.H. Vishwanath on Sunday commended Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar for reportedly inviting former Congressmen into the party, but hit out at former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for opposing such a prospect.
Responding to queries from reporters in Mysuru on Sunday, he heaped praise on Mr. Shivakumar for his organisational skills, but made it clear that erstwhile Congressmen like him would not go just because Mr. Shivakumar has extended an invitation. However, he said the Congress leader should be appreciated for showing the “courtesy”.
At the same time, Mr. Vishwanath said Mr. Siddaramaiah need not worry over their return to the Congress. He sought to remind the former Chief Minister that he (Mr. Vishwanath), Mr. Shivakumar, former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna and others had admitted him to the Congress when he was “thrown out” of the JD(S). He accused Mr. Siddaramaiah of practising “vengeance politics”.
Mr. Vishwanath also said politics was a dynamic field where situations change with time.
On SSLC exam
Earlier, he strongly opposed the State government’s decision to hold the SSLC examination and called for its cancellation. When experts are predicting a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already caused enough suffering in society, what is the need for holding the exam and putting the lives of children at risk, he asked.
Saying that students have not attended classes, he wondered how they would be in a position to write the exam. He also sought to know whether Education Department officials had held discussions with virologists, epidemiologists and other experts on the feasibility of holding the exam now.
