Tumakuru/ Shivamogga: The Janata Dal(S)-Congress coalition, which has completed a year in office, could collapse by June 10, claimed former Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna in Tumakuru on Monday.
Speaking to reporters here, he maintained that the government would last until Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for his second term and its fate would be sealed soon afterwards.
On JD(S) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda's defeat in Tumakuru by Mr G S. Basavaraju of the BJP, he pointed out that the saffron party leader was Tumakuru district Congress president for 20 years and had retained his influence in the constituency although he was now with the BJP. “Also, Basavaraju's personal rapport with Congress leaders helped him immensely,” he said.
Mr Rajanna, who is a former Tumakuru MLA, also blamed Deputy Chief Minister, Dr G Parameshwar for Mr Deve Gowda's defeat calling him a "Zero Traffic Minister" as he travelled in zero traffic between Tumakuru and Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, in Shivamogga, former Congress MLA, H.M. Chandrashekarappa argued that it was the right time to dissolve the state assembly and seek a fresh mandate. “It would have been better had the coalition partners not formed a pre-poll alliance for the LS polls,” he said, regretting that the JDS-Congress consensus candidate, Madhu Bangrappa for the Shivamogga LS constituency, didn't bother to even approach him for his support in the election. “And after losing the poll, Madhu has not been seen anywhere in public. He should mingle with leaders who helped him in the campaigning,” he said.
