In the backdrop of state minister C Puttarangashetty referring to Siddaramaiah as still his chief minister, current chief minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy has threatened to resign if the Congress party does not control its lawmakers. Speaking to ANI, the chief minister stated that the Congress lawmakers were ‘crossing the line’ and that he was ‘ready to step down’.
As per reports of The New Indian Express, Puttarangashetty described Siddaramaiah as ‘our chief minister’ at an event in Bengaluru where the former chief minister was present to inaugurate Kanak Bhavan.
Alongside, Congress leader ST Somashekhar at a recent event has piled attacks on the seven-month old Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government for doing nothing to improve the roads of Bengaluru. At the same event, the former chief minister has gone on record to say that his defeat in Badami and Chamundeswari was ensured by members of his own party through ‘false propaganda’ and ‘jealousy’.
Another Congress leader – deputy chief minister G Parameshwara has also called Siddaramaiah the ‘best chief minister’, according to some reports. Defending lawmaker Puttarangashetty, Parameshwara is reported to have said that he had ‘expressed his opinion’ and there was nothing ‘wrong’ in it.
The deputy chief minister however added that the Congress lawmakers were happy with the leadership of Kumaraswamy as chief minister.
After the elections in May last year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won 104 out of the 224 seats and emerged as the single largest party but was still short of a clear majority. The Congress- Janata Dal (Secular) coalition formed the government in Karnataka post elections. Speculations of internal strife have however hounded the coalition state government since its inception.
