From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Hassan, Dec 10: In a sensational disclosure, state JDS president H D Kumaraswamy claims that a ‘powerful’ minister in Siddaramaiah cabinet is negotiating with BJP leaders to join them with 50 to 60 Congress MLAs to escape from scams.

The former chief minister, who addressed a news conference in Hassan on Sunday, however declined to name the minister.

Responding to a question from reporters regarding the prediction of Nonavinakere Swamiji that deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar will become the state’s chief minister, the JDS leader pointed out that senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad and several other leaders have already ‘rebelled’ against Siddaramaiah.

“The Congress government is tottering with internal revolts and nobody knows when it will collapse,” the JDS leader, who had become chief minister for the second time in coalition with the Congress in 2018 and has after the party’s dismal performance in the 2023 assembly elections has joined the BJP-led NDA.

Kumaraswamy disclosed that a ‘powerful’ minister is making all efforts to wriggle out of the scams facing him and is beseeching the BJP Central leaders to ‘bail’ him out. “Somebody gave me the information that his minister is preparing to jump to BJP bandwagon with 50 to 60 MLAs,” he revealed while repeatedly refusing to identify the minister or his informant.

When media persons persisted and insisted that the minister must be identified, Kumaraswamy quipped, “Can any small person do this? Only a big and powerful leader can take up this adventure. I know that this minister is begging to be saved from the probes.”

Kumaraswamy said, “It is not known as to who will emerge as the leader to split the Congress just like it happened in Maharashtra when Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thakre’s Shiva Sena to join BJP and then Ajit Pawar bolted out of Sharad Pawar’s NCP.”

“In the present politics in the country, anything can happen at any time. Nobody has any honesty or loyalty. Everybody acts to suit their selfish interests. Today, they are here and tomorrow, they will jump elsewhere. This is the sad situation of present-day politics in the country,” he lamented.

Answering questions on Hariprasad’s open tirade against the chief minister, the JDS leader claimed that “Hariprasad is not alone. There are many others. Don’t single out just one person. Hariprasad is a honest Congress leader.”

“I have reliable information that powerful persons are willing to sell themselves to remain in power,” he claimed.

While admitting that the Shakti guarantee of free travel to women in government buses has really helped women, the JDS leader pointed out that the state transport undertakings are in red and the transport minister now says that 9500 persons will be appointed on daily wage basis and also planning to buy 5000 new buses. “Where is the money for all this?” he asked.

Lashing out at Siddaramaiah for his statement on allocating Rs 10000 crore to muslims, Kumaraswamy asked the government why farmers are neglected and are facing dire straits.

Kumaraswamy threatened to launch a padayatra from Arsikere to Tumkur demanding justice for the copra farmers after the ongoing legislature session in Belagavi. Farmers are completely neglected by the Congress government, he said.