Lok Sabha polls 2024: 'D K Shivakumar targeting Siddaramaiah by saying Vokkaligas not safe in Mysuru', says H D Kumaraswamy

'Shivakumar seems to have admitted that there is no protection to Vokkaligas by Siddaramaiah, a strong Ahinda leader of Mysuru. Does it mean that Siddaramaiah has meted out injustice to Vokkaligas?', he said.

Mysuru: Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement that Vokkaligas are not safe in Mysuru, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, said that the former seems to be 'targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah'.

The JD(S) president is BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha segment.

Speaking to media in Mysuru, he said, "by saying that Vokkaligas do not have security in Mysuru, Shivakumar seems to have admitted that there is no protection to Vokkaligas by Siddaramaiah, a strong Ahinda (acronym for minorities, backward communities and Dalits in Kannada) leader of Mysuru. Does it mean that Siddaramaiah has meted out injustice to Vokkaligas? People understand this, thus around 90 per cent of the Vokkaligas are favouring the BJP-JD(S) alliance,” he said.

Kumaraswamy said, Siddaramaiah does not tolerate the rise of a leader in any community.

“Who defeated then KPCC president G Parameshwar, who would have been a hurdle on his path to become chief minister? When present AICC president Mallikarjun Hegde had a chance to become CM in 2016, who threatened the Congress high-command that he would join the BJP, if Kharge was not called to the Centre?” he asked.

Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mandya

Commenting on the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Mandya segment on Wednesday, Kumaraswamy said that 'not much will change with his 45-minute speech'.

“Is my defeat or victory in the hands of Shivakumar? Now, for Congress, Kumaraswamy is the main target. They are speaking with audacity, due to money power. Mandya people cannot be bought with money,” he said.

In reply to a question, on phone tapping, Kumaraswamy asked, “Why would I tap Adicunchanagiri pontiff Nirmalanandanatha Swami’s phone? If I had suspected the Swami, why would I have travelled along with him, to the USA? Nobody told me that my JD(S)-Congress government would collapse. They sent me off, happily,” he said.

“Within 15 days of forming the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, a spat began between Shivakumar and Ramesh Jarakiholi, whom was it for? Let him spell it out,” Kumaraswamy asked.

He further added, "they spread lies that I slapped P G R Sindhia, when I contested the election in 1996. Such behavior is that of Shivakumar. After seeing the change in Bengaluru Rural segment, the language of Shivakumar has changed. Similar mud-slinging will be there till the election are over. Later, everything will be normal."