Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP) 

Bengaluru, Jul 20: Speaking in the state assembly on Friday July 19, Karnataka chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, claimed that there were certain secret understandings when BJP and JD(S) had formed coalition government and again when Yeddyurappa was the chief minister of the state. He also said that even after the Congress and the JD(S) formed government in the state in 2018, he had received offer from the BJP. 

"After getting elected as MLA in 2004 for the first time, I usually occupied the last bench. As the voters delivered a hung verdict in the assembly election, Congress and the JD(S) had joined hands to form the state government. Thereafter, differences arose on principles between Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda, resulting in Siddaramaiah leaving the JD(S) and joining the Congress. The then opposition leader, Yeddyurappa, sent me a piece of paper with his personal assistant informing that his party legislators too had raised loans for fighting the election and that fighting an election again would be difficult for them. In the interests of legislators of our party and those of the BJP, I came forward to head the government. BJP leaders including national level leaders of the BJP held discussions on various issues with me in phases. After the government was formed and my government completed its agreed term, I had volunteered to hand over power to the BJP as agreed upon, but the BJP leaders did not allow this to happen. The BJP branded me as a traitor and succeeded in winning 110 seats and forming the next government," he stated. 

He recalled that Yeddyurappa, with the support of independent MLAs, became chief minister, but within a month, five independent MLAs including Venkataramanappa had approached him to say that they had decided to withdraw support to the BJP government and asked him to make an effort to form the government. "I told them that I have the support of only 38 MLAs and that Congress leaders can make up their mind to form the government if they are willing. As the government was recently formed, I discouraged them from toppling it. Thereafter, in spite of enjoying majority, BJP indulged in mockery of democracy by staging a drama, 'Operation Lotus' that was the first such conspiracy in the history of the country and got 18 legislators to resign their seats," he narrated. 

He said even thereafter the government was not stable enough as 22 including some ministers revolted against Yeddyurappa. He recalled that Renukacharya, who is now a strong supporter of Yeddyurappa and also BJP MLA, Balachandra Jarkiholi, had made use of him to their advantage. 

Kumaraswamy also called upon the people to introspect where will this stand if state politics continues to witness such conspiracies and dramas. 

Kumaraswamy also dismissed the general notion that his family indulges in sorcery. He said his family members believe in god and that Revanna keeps visiting temples just like BJP leaders. He said that his family does not hanker for power, duly recalling that his family had sacrificed even the post of the Prime Minister. "We have enjoyed power right from the gram panchayat member to the Prime Minister," he said.