Congress-JD(S) honeymoon will end after November 3 bypoll: B S Yeddyurappa

Ballari: Predicting that relations between the coalition partners in the Karnataka government would sour after the November 3 bypolls, state BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa claimed on Saturday that the JD(S) and Congress would not be able to even look each other in the eye after the results were announced.

“Their relationship will completely break. There will be significant changes after November 6,” he contended. Mr Yeddyurappa, who was addressing a public meeting in Sandur town, sarcastically referred to Ballari district in- charge Minister D.K. Shivakumar as his “own man.” “Don't worry about Shivakumar. Why did you target and scold him? He is our own man. He has come here to ensure the victory of (BJP candidate), Shantha spending his own money,” he quipped, while asserting that Ms Shantha, who is sister of Molakalmur BJP MLA, Sriramulu, would win the Lok Sabha bypoll from Ballari by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes.

Referring to former CM Siddaramaiah's recent derisive comments on Mr Sriramulu, he demanded that he apologise to him. “Siddaramaiah must apologise for insulting an elected MLA by calling him a 420 (cheat),” he said, adding that CM H.D Kumaraswamy too should apologise to Valmiki community for not attending Valmiki Jayanti celebrations.