'Would be CM if I had maintained good relations with BJP'

Former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said that he would have still been the Chief Minister if he had continued to have good relations with the BJP and said that he lost everything due to the coalition with the Congress party.

Mysuru/Bengaluru (Karnataka): Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy claimed that Congress destroyed his goodwill and that he would have been Chief Minister had he maintained good relations with the BJP.

He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from May 2018 to July 2019, with Congress as an ally. "Today, I would have still been the Chief Minister if I had continued to have good relations with the BJP. The goodwill I had earned in 2006-07 and over a period of 12 years, I lost everything due to the coalition with the Congress party. Even though we did not hand over power to the BJP then, still my goodwill earned continued amongst the people," he said.

"The coalition with the Congress was stitched up because of Deve Gowda's words. I won't speak anything against him due to his secular identity followed by him. He has a commitment to keep in public life and I did not want to hurt his emotions once again at this age. So, we joined hands with the Congress party to form the government," he added.

Kumaraswamy, who had earlier ran a coalition government with BJP from February 2006 to October 2007 said: "The BJP did not hurt me in 2008 the way the Congress did in 2018." "Unfortunately, the goodwill I had earned over 12 years was destroyed by the Congress party along with Siddaramaiah and his gang. Why did I shed tears in just a months' time after I became Chief Minister in 2018? I knew what all was going on," he said.

Responding to Kumaraswamy's remarks, Karnataka Congress said that he has admitted to being a BJP's "B" team. "HD Kumaraswamy has shown his real colour now. You clearly admitted that you are a BJP 'B' team. BS Yediyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister right after results. How could he have given you the chance to be the CM? Remember Congress gave you the opportunity. Because of your inability, the coalition government destabilised. Stop blaming them who gave you the chance to enjoy," Karnataka Congress said in a statement.

The former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah called Kumaraswamy "biggest liar" and said his party gave the latter to the opportunity to become the chief minister. "He never had the goodwill of the people. Congress is the one which gave him power even after winning 86 in last assembly elections and JDS won one only 36 seats. HD Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda family is known to cry at every time for happiness and sorrow. So they are liars, Kumaraswamy is the biggest liar," he said.

The 14-month-old Congress JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka fell in July 2019 after it was defeated on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly with about 20 MLAs of the ruling coalition defying their party whips and absenting from voting on the confidence motion. Later, BJP's BS Yediyurappa sworn was in as the Chief Minister.

ANI