Revealing the story behind the story of rivalry and collapse of Congress-JDS government, Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar expressed his dismay at former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s silence on crucial matters during a party induction programme at Bharat Jodo Hall.
Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar recalled the phone conversation with Gopalaya and S.T. Somashekhar, stating that their return from Mumbai was contingent on D.K. Shivakumar being announced as Chief Minister. However, he expressed frustration that Kumaraswamy did not address his name in the discussion.
During the Congress-JDS coalition government, Shivakumar highlighted the resort politics initiated by 17 MLAs who went to Mumbai. He emphasised that their return hinged on his appointment as CM, threatening to join BJP otherwise. Expressing his disappointment, Shivakumar noted Kumaraswamy’s silence on this matter.
Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, claimed that 40 Congress members were in touch with BJP, countering Shivakumar’s stance. Shivakumar questioned Kumaraswamy’s credibility, asking if the JDS leader was trustworthy given his conflicting statements.
Shivakumar also criticised Kumaraswamy’s dualistic stance, questioning his allegiance to secular ideologies. He reminded Kumaraswamy of the Congress party’s support, enabling him to become Chief Minister despite having fewer seats. Shivakumar urged Kumaraswamy to focus on constructive criticism rather than unnecessary negativity.
Responding to accusations of governance failures, Shivakumar acknowledged mistakes, but stressed the commitment to correction and improvement. He urged the Opposition to engage in constructive criticism for the betterment of democracy.
In the midst of these political manoeuvres, Shivakumar welcomed former JDS MLAs Gaurishankar and Manjunath into the Congress. He highlighted the importance of party loyalty and unity, stressed that these leaders joined after considering the opinions of the party workers. As the political landscape in Karnataka continues to shift, the criticisms and counter-criticisms between Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy add a new layer of complexity to the state’s political narrative.
