BENGALURU: Renewing his attack on Karnataka's ruling coalition's coordination committee Chairman Siddaramaiah, JD(S) state President AH Vishwanath on Saturday hit out at the former Chief Minister for not inducting him and the Pradesh Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao to the committee.
He also raised questions on Siddaramaiahs performance as coordination committee chief, alleging that he has not yet been able to "draw" the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the coalition government.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the Coordination Committee chief's responsibility was to coordinate between the two ruling partner parties. "I don't know why Siddaramaiah does not want Vishwanath, Dinesh Gundu Rao or anyone else. Be alone (if you want), we won't object to it, but why are you not fulfilling your responsibilities? ," Vishwanath asked.
Pointing out that Sonia Gandhi was chairperson during UPA-I and II, coordinating 23 political parties, he said in Karnataka, the Coordination Committee under Siddaramaiahs chairmanship, had not even drawn up the CMP. "In what direction the coalition government has to move, what should be its programmes, what should be its conduct, regarding this you have not yet drawn the common minimum programme as its chairman," he added.
The coordination committee comprises the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah (Chairman), Congress General Secretary Venugopal and JD(S) Secretary General Danish Ali (convener).
With Ali joining BSP, Kumaraswamy is the only JD(S) representative in the committee, giving rise to the demand for Vishwanath's induction. Earlier when the demand for expanding the committee by inducting state unit chiefs of both parties came up, Siddaramaiah reportedly brushed it aside, not wanting to have his bete noire Vishwanath in it, party sources said.
Pointing out that 70 per cent of the ministers in the government are from Congress, as also those nominated in boards and corporations, he said if there has been any trouble, it has been in the JD(S) "What trouble has happened to you? (Congress)", he asked. He, however, said that the government is functioning and no such 'critical' situation has come about in Karnataka politics to warrant dissolving the assembly.
Last week, with the growing clamour within Congress for Siddaramaih to become CM once again, Vishwanath had hit out at the CLP leader, raising questions about his performance as Chief Minister in the previous government, and had termed the demand as "chamchagiri" (flattery).
His statements had resulted in a public spat between the two, with Siddaramaiah hitting back and asking the JD(S) leadership to intervene.
Fed up with the differences in the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition and the "Siddaramaiah for CM" again' clamour, another senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti Saturday suggested that the assembly be dissolved. These comments have come at a time when speculations are rife about the longevity of the coalition government after the May 23 Lok Sabha poll results.