Dy CM Ashwath Narayan calls D K Shivakumar Mir Sadiq, Suresh retorts

Congress MP D K Suresh on Tuesday lashed out at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, referring to him in the singular, for attacking his brother state Congress chief D K Shivakumar.

Earlier in the day, Narayan likened Shivakumar to Mir Sadiq, who is said to have betrayed Tipu Sultan. “Shivakumar is the real Mir Sadiq. He cheats people around him. Siddaramaiah also cheated his party,” he said.

An angry Suresh said Narayan should mind his words. “Mir Sadiq is the one who appears before the media once in a while to portray himself as honest, whereas he’s trying to stab Yediyurappa in the back,” Suresh said.

Former Congress minister Ramalinga Reddy said there were attempts in the BJP to remove Yediyurappa for the past six months.

“If Yediyurappa is removed, then that’ll be the end of the BJP. It’ll benefit the Congress,” Reddy said.

Defending allegations against Rajarajeshwari Nagar BJP candidate Muniratna, Ashwath Narayan described Congress leaders Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah as those responsible for the collapse of the previous coalition government.

The DyCM shielded Muniratna from taking any questions at the joint press conference.

"They should reveal who were responsible for MLAs leaving the party," he said, alleging concerted efforts to defame Muniratna.

"Nobody has taken a single rupee to shift loyalties. The coalition collapse was due to a Congress conspiracy and internal strife," he said.

People, who do not have the courage to explain why Muniratna (who was close to Shivakumar and Suresh) left the Congress, should not call anyone a sellout, Ashwath Narayan said.