Congress plays down HDK's 'clerk' remark

Seeking to play down Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s ‘working as a clerk’ remark, Congress said it must have been be because of some “heat of the moment issue”.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters, “I think we are both reasonably, happily married”.

Addressing JD(S ) workers in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Kumaraswamy had said that he is under “tremendous pressure” and the Congress leaders always expect him to behave like a subordinate.

Kumaraswamy had told the party leaders that he is functioning like a clerk and not like a chief minister because of Congress’ interference in everything. “This is is nothing but a temporary marital friction and I can assure you it will be sorted out,” Singhvi said.

The Congress and JD(S) are negotiating a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections amid claims by the regional outfit for a greater share in the 28 parliamentary seats up for grabs in Karnataka.The BJP has 15 members in the Lok Sabha from Karnataka, Congress 10 and the JD(S) two.

The JD(S) is also suspicious about the longevity of the coalition government in the state with a large section of the party leaders believe that the Congress may pull the rug after the Lok Sabha elections.