Cong's gag orders on tearjerker episode

The Congress has directed its leaders not to comment or react to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s recent emotional outburst, which has caused much embarrassment to the party.

“No one should issue statements on internal party matters. Some have already done that. Going forward, no one should talk about it publicly,” Water Resources Minister
D K Shivakumar told reporters.

He was referring to senior Congress leader K B Koliwad blaming Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah for “troubling” Kumaraswamy.

“I’ve seen the chief minister since childhood. He’s an emotional being. He has shed tears on many occasions. During election, he cried when he saw a disabled person,” Shivakumar said, defending Kumaraswamy.

The Congress high command is learnt to have directed its state leaders not to comment on Kumaraswamy’s emotional episode publicly.

Notwithstanding this, Congress leader ‘Mukhyamantri’ Chandru told reporters that it was not befitting for Kumaraswamy to have shed tears on a public platform. “He should not have shed tears. The Congress has given him all the support.”