Pact? Didn’t have my blessing: HD Kumaraswamy

BENGALURU: In an indication of how fragile the Congress-JD(S) alliance in the city civic body could be, JD(S) state unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday that he was not for the alliance, and that his party’s “unconditional” support to Congress in BBMP was to develop Bengaluru, “not to loot the civic body’s funds.”

Such an explosive statement, made during an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, comes on the heels of JD(S) MLA Zameer Ahamed Khan’s remark while addressing a group of Muslim leaders that Mr Kumaraswamy becoming the Chief Minister was as good as “I becoming CM,” which many believe may have riled the former chief minister and underscored his fear that the former minister was gaining in popularity, and could affect his own standing within the JD(S).  The Muslim community — as much as the Vokkaligas — form the party’s core vote bank.

Mr Kumaraswamy minced no words while warning the Congress of a “harsh” decision “if things do not improve in BBMP.” Accusing Mr Siddaramaiah of practicing politics of vengeance with the sole intention of decimating JD (S) in Karnataka, he said the Chief Minister wanted to continue in office by grabbing power in BBMP.

“To meet his (Mr Siddaramaiah) agenda, why should the JD (S) have supported Congress? Just because our party has supported Congress in BBMP does not mean that we have mortgaged our party. I had the capacity to convince my councillors to abstain but JD(S) supremo Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, announced unconditional support to Congress. So, I had no option other than to go by the party's decision," he added.

The veiled attack on Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan was also a warning to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the former CM was unhappy with the former minister's growing profile, and his close links along with another former minister Cheluvarayaswamy and some JD(S) legislators who were seen as operating in tandem with the Kuruba strongman - who was chief of the state JD(S) when the Assembly polls were held in 2004.

The leader, who led a coalition with BJP in 2006, freely admitted that he was open to an alliance with the BJP in elections to the Council, zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats as the two parties could put up a combined fight against the Congress. He, however, was uncertain about whether leaders of BJP would reciprocate, if his party proposed an alliance ahead of the polls.  

Upset with lack of support of JD (S) legislators, Mr Kumaraswamy said he had plans to convene a meeting of MLAs shortly to seek their opinion on whether or not to launch an agitation against corruption. "I cannot carry on the battle alone, and without the support of our legislators, who unfortunately are more interested in themselves than in strengthening party," the former CM added.

JD(S) prez wary of Zameer moves?

The veiled attack on Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan was also a warning to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the former chief minister was unhappy with the former minister's growing profile, and his close links along with another former minister Cheluvarayaswamy and some JD (S) legislators who were seen as operating in tandem with the Kuruba strongman - who was chief of the state unit of JD (S) when the Assembly polls were held in 2004.