In order to prevent the BJP from coming to power in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S) formed a post-poll alliance despite sharing an acrimonious relationship in the past. There is always a tug of war between the two rivals who share a bitter relationship. From the day one, there has been massive power tussle in the Congress-JD(S) alliance. After one coalition drama gets over another drama begins without interval. A new controversy erupted when Former CM Siddaramaiah lambasted the incumbent CM HD Kumaraswamy on farm loan waiver. According to Republic TV report, Siddaramaiah said that the work was started by his government. He said, “We have collation government in the state but all the schemes that were introduced by me during our government continue.” He further added, “I have already waived off farmer loans so what more to do?”
Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi promised of farm loan waiver during the Karnataka election campaign and now Siddaramaiah is claiming that his government has already waived off the loans. If his government had already waived off the farm loan then why Rahul Gandhi promised it during the campaign? It looks like either someone is lying here or someone made a false promise. It is also possible that Siddaramaiah is upset because he has been completely sidelined by the Congress after the poor performance of the party in the Karnataka assembly elections. His loyalists have also been not given any ministry. To be more precise, the Congress has dumped him. He has been continuously undermined and must be feeling insulted and upset over the fact that the JD(S) politician GT Devegowda who defeated him in the elections has been given a very important portfolio- Higher Education.
Another instance of undermining Siddaramaiah’s stature in the state is that an FIR has been filed in a land encroachment case. According to the complainant, Gangaraju, “During his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah built a house and sold it too. When looking at the property in question, he was allocated only 103 feet, but the space taken up amounts to 120 feet.”
Deve Gowda has always claimed that whatever and wherever Siddaramaiah stands, is because of him, but Siddaramaiah has always been insulting towards him. He even called Siddaramaiah ‘mean’. To quote Deve Gowda “…………….The Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) who is mean to this extent, has grown from this party (JD(S)). Is he a Chief Minister? How long will you stay? I will see. I have taken a vow. I will today seek apology from the people of Karnataka for grooming such an immoral politician.” “…….Grooming such a lowly Chief Minister is my biggest mistake. I will repeatedly say he is unfit to continue in the post.” he further added.
It looks like HD Kumaraswamy is avenging his father. No matter what, by giving such insulting treatment to Siddaramaiah, HD Kumaraswamy is undermining his own political future. Siddaramaiah is still very influential in the Congress party. He controls many MLAs and rank and file in the Congress party. So this kind of treatment meted out to him might turn out to be a strategic blunder.