Upset Over Congress MLA’s Remarks, Kumaraswamy Threatens To Quit
Congress MLA ST Somashekhar had claimed that development works had come to a grinding halt.
The acrimony between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka reached a new high with Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday threatening to step down, saying he never "craved" for power.
His comments come a day after a ruling Congress MLA demanded that Siddaramaiah be made the chief minister again.
ST Somashekhar had claimed that development works had come to a grinding halt here and other parts of the state at an event in Bengaluru.
"If my way of functioning is not acceptable, I am ready to resign. I don't crave for position.” said Kumaraswamy, reacting to the comments.
"Our government has taken up projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore including suburban train, elevated corridor and peripheral ring road," the chief minister told reporters after dedicating six-coach metro rail on “Green Line” at the Mantri Square Metro Station.
A red-faced Karnataka Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao, who too was present there, said such statements by the Congress MLAs were not acceptable and a show-cause notice would be issued to them. "Today Rs 8,000 crore worth work is happening. I condemn such public statements and will issue a show-cause notice to them," Rao told reporters.
"Morning I saw ST Somashekhar's statement. It breaches the disciplinary line. The coalition government has done lots of development work in Bengaluru."
The works sanctioned by the previous Siddaramaiah government were also being taken up, he said.
"His public statement is inappropriate. I condemn it and I will issue a show-cause notice to him." said Dinesh Gundu Rao, noting that Somashekhar was chairperson of the Bengaluru Development Authority.
"If there are any shortcomings in our government, they should discuss straightaway with chief minister or Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who is in charge minister of Bengaluru... We cannot tolerate indiscipline," he said.
"Instructed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee to send a show-cause notice to Somashekhar MLA seeking clarification on his controversial remarks,” All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge KV Venugopal said in a tweet.
"If the explanation is not satisfactory, party will take strong disciplinary action. Indian National Congress will not tolerate any such indiscipline statements and actions," he said.
Siddaramaiah said the coalition government is for five years and there was no question of him becoming Chief Minister, rubbishing the MLA's demand.
Taking a potshot at the chief minister, BJP Spokesperson Tejaswini Gowda said, "Kumaraswamy must practice what he says. He must step down."