Bengaluru: On the day his government completed 100 days in office, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy flew to New Delhi. His first port of call was Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Tughlaq lane. He thanked Rahul Gandhi for making him the chief minister and sought his full cooperation in future. This meeting is significant for more than one reason.
The former CM Siddaramaiah’s recent statements about him wanting to be the CM once again has rankled the JDS cadre and Kumaraswamy wanted Rahul’s assurance and protection from any future attempts by Siddaramaiah to “unseat” him.
According to Kumaraswamy, the Congress president was happy with his 100 days rule and promised him unconditional support for the remainder of his term. “Rahul Gandhi is happy about our performance. He has assured me that no one can unseat me. I will complete the full five year term,” he said.
Downplaying Siddaramaiah issue he said that former CM was with him and he was guiding the government. “Siddaramaiah is the chairman of JDS-Congress coordination committee. He is our leader. There is no difference of opinion between us,” Kumaraswamy said.
However, he took a dig at Siddaramaiah by saying that some people want even the revenue minister R V Deshpande as the next CM of Karnataka. Deshpande is Siddaramaiah’s contemporary and both entered the Karnataka Assembly for the first time in 1983.
But Deshpande was quick to describe it as best wishes of a well-wisher. “I am qualified to be a CM. But I am yet to get that chance and I never expressed it in public,” he said.
The JDS sources claim that Kumaraswamy indeed discussed Siddaramaiah with Rahul Gandhi and asked him rein in the former CM in the interest of the coalition government and Congress party in Karnataka.
“He also brought to his notice Siddaramaiah’s scheduled visit to Europe in the first week of September. He told him that Siddaramaiah’s absence should not de-stabilise his government,” said a senior JDS leader.
Rahul Gandhi has assured him that he would talk to Siddaramaiah and make sure nothing untoward happens during his absence, claims a confidante of Kumaraswamy.
The coalition government’s 100 days celebrations across the state is muted as no one is sure of its stability.
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