Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday took a sharp dig at former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, reminding the media of their past remarks against the BJP, RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Responding to questions from reporters in Davanagere, CM Siddaramaiah questioned the credibility of these leaders, who are now aligned with the BJP. “Do you not know what all these leaders had said earlier about the BJP, RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Now, to protect their political existence, they have joined the BJP. What moral right do they have to criticize us?” he asked.
The Chief Minister asserted that the people of the state have appreciated the Congress government’s guarantee schemes and accused the BJP of opposing these pro-poor initiatives. “The BJP is against the poor and against the Constitution. There is no reason for the people of the state to support such a party,” he said.
On Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s statement that they do not practice family politics and that people themselves have brought them into electoral politics, Siddaramaiah countered by questioning the defeat of Kumaraswamy’s son in Channapatna.
“If that is the case, why did his son lose? There is nothing wrong in contesting elections when people want you to, but do they say the same when people reject them?” he said. Responding to a query on whether Minister Zameer Ahmad had not campaigned extensively in Davanagere South, the Chief Minister clarified that Zameer had been actively working across regions including Kerala and Bagalkot, and had also campaigned in Davanagere.
“Zameer is a disciplined soldier of the party. He has conveyed a clear message to voters and party workers in support of the Congress,” he said. Siddaramaiah also targeted BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, stating that he had earlier been in the Congress, benefited from the party, and later joined the BJP for similar gains.
“Do you know what all he had said about the BJP earlier?” he asked. He further alleged that former PM Deve Gowda and his son Union Minister Kumaraswamy have aligned with the BJP to safeguard their political relevance and should recall their earlier statements against the BJP and RSS.
Criticising the JD(S), Siddaramaiah said that when he was the state president of the party, it had won 59 seats, but has not been able to achieve that number since and has now been reduced to 19 seats. Responding to Kumaraswamy’s allegation that the Congress government is not supporting industrial development in the state, the Chief Minister remarked sarcastically, “One who cannot mount a horse that is offered cannot be called brave or valiant.”