Bengaluru, Aug 11 (DHNS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his bete noire JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday exchanged some bitter words.

Two days ago, Kumara-swamy had alleged that Siddaramaiah had instigated the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to spread rumours of it having arrested him. Siddaramaiah, however, rubbished the allegations as baseless and termed it a case of ‘hit and run’.

“The JD(S) leaders think we are all like them. We (Congress) are not vindictive like them. Neither have I nor my office has interfered in the ongoing investigations. This is a clear case of hit and run,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru.
On Saturday, Kumaraswamy had also alleged that Siddaramaiah had travelled together in a flight with Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao and his son Y Ashwin, (key accused in the extortion racket in the Lokayukta), indicating that the chief minister was protecting the duo.

Siddaramaiah said he had neither met Justice Rao nor Ashwin.

An irked Kumaraswamy said Siddaramaiah was the ‘worst’ chief minister Karnataka had seen.

“Even former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had got cases registered against me. But Siddaramaiah has stooped very low. He has used the officialdom to spread false rumours about me. SIT chief Charan Reddy has issued a press statement about my arrest on the letterhead of the police commissioner,” he said, adding that the Congress was trying to sully his image and dent the JD(S)’s prospects in the upcoming BBMP polls.

Kumaraswamy also said he would pursue legal action against SIT chief Charan Reddy, Superintendent of Police Manjunath Annageri and DySP Kollapuri.