Congress netas tormenting H D Kumaraswamy, says K B Koliwad
When asked whether he was referring to Mr Siddaramaiah, Mr Koliwad said he would not reveal the names.
BENGALURU: In a new twist to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s emotional outburst about ‘swallowing the pain of a coalition government’ former Speaker and senior Congress leader K B Koliwad on Monday slammed his party colleagues for “tormenting” the JD (S) leader. and all but named former chief minister Siddaramaiah as the one unsettling him most.
He told the media here: “There are some Congress leaders who are tormenting him. I won't disclose their names. Those who are not able to come to terms with this (Congress-JD (S)) coalition government are furious and find excuses to trouble Mr Kumaraswamy." When asked whether he was referring to Mr Siddaramaiah, Mr Koliwad said he would not reveal the names.
“Let people realize whom I am referring to,” he said pointing to the fact that veteran leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and deputy chief minister Dr G. Parameshwara have supported this government. His remarks are being interpreted in political circles as a direct reference to Mr Siddaramaiah whom he had attacked earlier for his "dictatorial attitude", a factor which resulted in defeat of the Congress in recent polls to the Legislative Assembly.
Mr Koliwad reminded Congress leaders that the coalition government, headed by Mr Kumaraswamy, was formed at the behest of the top brass of the party and therefore the should function with full support of Congress leaders as the coalition partners much win maximum number of seats during next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Kumaraswamy’s maiden budget, despite waiver of crop loans of over Rs 44,000 crores, attracted flak from Congress leaders that it lacked new developmental schemes for north Karnataka region and minorities with former ministers H K Patil and Tanveer Sait demanding justice on these issues. Other leaders voiced their opinion against a hike in prices of petrol and diesel. Later Mr Siddaramaiah, who heads the coordination committee, wrote to Mr Kumaraswamy, seeking a roll back in prices of petrol and diesel and restoration of supply of seven kg rice to beneficiaries of ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme.
