Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has demanded that action be taken against the Congress rebels.
A feud has once again erupted between the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka, after a video of Congress leaders having dinner with independent candidate Sumalatha went viral on Wednesday. JD(S) insiders say that Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was furious with the Congress and allegedly demanded that the party take action against rebels. In a video that went viral on Wednesday, Congress leaders Cheluvarayaswamy, HC Balakrishna, Ravi Ganiga and Malavalli Shivanna, were seen having dinner with independent candidate from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambareesh. Sumalatha is up against Congress-JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is the son of HD Kumaraswamy. Several Congress leaders had openly supported Sumalatha, due to the decades-long rivalry the party had with JD(S) and because of their loyalty to her late husband Ambareesh. With the video doing the rounds, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is said to have held talks with KC Venugopal, the Congress leader in-charge of Karnataka. “Kumaraswamy wants the high command to take action against the rebel leaders as he believes that they worked against his son Nikhil during the election campaign,” the JD(S) source said. Speaking to the media, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao stated that the party could not simply suspend its leaders without any proof that they were indulging in anti-party activities. “Just because they were seen having dinner does not prove that they were working against the party. We will conduct an investigation and if there was any foul play, we will take action," he said. Dinesh Gundu Rao also turned the tables on the JD(S) and asked what action it was taking against its party members who worked against the alliance. "It is true that the JD(S) did not support us in Kolar and Mysuru segments owing to certain differences. GT Devegowda has said that the JD(S) supported the BJP candidate in Mysuru. JD(S) has not yet given any clarity on what action they will take in this regard,” Dinesh Gundu Rao said. Congress sources, however, say that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was livid at GT Devegowdá's statement. Party insiders say that Siddaramaiah held a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and demanded that Primary Education Minister GT Devegowda and Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh, JD(S) leaders in-charge of Mysuru for the Lok Sabha polls, must be dropped from the cabinet after the results are announced. The fresh feud has resulted in speculation that the coalition government may fall after the Lok Sabha poll results are out. “Siddaramaiah has warned that if action is not taken against GT Devegowda and Sa Ra Mahesh, the coalition government may be at risk. Kumaraswamy has also asked Congress high command to take action. Both of them are fighting about rebels and Siddaramaiah has instructed party leaders to not take any action against anyone till counting is over,” the source added.
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