JOIN USTaking an indirect swipe at Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah for creating trouble for his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday said that the former chief minister wasn’t the only one calling the shots.
Gowda was reacting to queries on the differences of opinion between the coalition partners especially over the presentation of a fresh budget. Gowda said that AICC general secretary incharge of Karnataka K C Venugopal would sort out the differences. “Venugopal is also part of the coordination committee. He has the capability to quell the differences -- I will not comment on this further,” he added.
Asked about Siddaramaiah’s attempts to stonewall Kumaraswamy from presenting a fresh budget, Gowda said, “I will not say that Siddaramaiah is wrong. He has enough experience when it comes to the affairs of the Finance department. But this is a coalition government. It is a convention to present a fresh budget whenever a new government comes to power.”
Gowda said that he had convened the meeting to introspect where the party had gone wrong and also review its preparedness to face the upcoming urban local bodies and Lok Sabha elections.
“Ever since the government was formed, the party activities had taken a backseat. Hence I had convened the meeting. The Lok Sabha elections are also nearing. The party has to chart out its activities in such a manner that it will not dent the prospects of the coalition government. There are speculations that the Lok Sabha elections might be advanced. We need to start preparing from now itself,” he added.