Kumaraswamy slams Siddaramaiah, asks who caused damage to K'taka govt

Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday slammed the senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah over the collapse of the 14-month-old coalition government in the state of Karnataka. Furthermore, Kumaraswamy asked him to answer the cause of the government’s collapse. Kumaraswamy's attack came hours after Siddaramaiah said that if Congress wins 15 seats in by-polls, BS Yedyurappa will have to give his resignation and Congress will go for a fresh election without an alliance with the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS).

READ | Karnataka: Cabinet Minister CC Patil Visits Flood Hit Areas In Gadag

'Who is responsible for the failure?'

Taking to Twitter, Kumaraswamy asked, "Due to whose mistake did the coalition fail? Who is to be held responsible for the failure? Who caused the damage? Could you please answer honestly."

Criticising the Congress leader, Kumaraswamy in a series of tweets asked, "In which way did you cooperate with us in the Lok Sabha elections? "Who" in the hearts of disqualified MLAs? Please give an honest answer to this "who" question? I am thankful to you for your cooperation and support. I will never forget that in my lifetime. Mr. Siddarmaiah, we do not want your relationship."

READ | HD Kumaraswamy On A 'personal Visit' Meets DK Shivakumar In Tihar Jail

'Who came knocking on our door?'

"Who asked Siddaramaiah to join hands with us? Who came knocking on our doorstep? Who helped out? Who kept criticizing me every day? Who targeted me?" Kumaraswamy questioned Siddarmaiah, who has been his former alliance partner. 

After the hung assembly election in Karnataka in May 2018, Congress and JDS had formed an alliance that ended in 2019 due to differences between the JDS and Congress. Kumaraswamy, then Chief Minister of Karnataka went on to blame the Congress for intervening in matters of governance, affecting the functioning of the government.  

READ | Revolt In JDS As Senior JDS Leaders Complain Against HD Kumaraswamy

By-polls for the 15 assembly seats in Karnataka are scheduled to be held on December 5. Earlier, the by-polls in Karnataka were scheduled to be held on October 21 in 15 constituencies that were vacated by rebel MLAs of Congress and JDS. The election date was later shifted to December 5 by the Election Commission (EC). Fifteen Assembly constituencies namely Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, K R Pura, Yeshvanthapura, Mahalakshmi, Shivajinagar, Hosakote, Krishnarajpet, and Hunsur will go to polls on the date set by the EC.

READ | Kumaraswamy Attacks State And Central Government Over Flood Relief

(With ANI inputs)