BENGALURU: The Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a heated discussion on the issue of the Leader
of the Opposition (LoP) as the principal Opposition party — BJP — is yet to announce the LoP. Raising the issue, Chamundeshwari JDS MLA GT Devegowda said,
“Nobody knows why BS Yediyurappa was asked to step down as the CM... None of us know the reason... only leaders in Delhi (BJP top brass) will be aware of it. BJP is also yet to appoint LoP even after two months.” Taking the name of former deputy CM Laxman Savadi, who quit the BJP to join the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections, Devegowda said, “If he (Savadi) knows why there is no LoP, he should tell.”
Savadi said that he has many friends (in BJP) in Delhi and told Devegowda to wait and watch. “Who knows, they might appoint HD Kumaraswamy as the Leader of the Opposition. He will be LoP on deputation to BJP. The LoP seat is vacant and he may be moved there,” the former CM quipped.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah also took a dig at Vijayapura City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal over the issue of LoP. When Kumaraswamy was speaking about Anna Bhagya and Gruha Jyothi schemes, Yatnal frequently got up and intervened. Siddaramiah told Yatnal not to get up frequently. “I know why you get up from your seat frequently. You want to get recognised from your party leaders as you are an aspirant for the LoP post. But don’t worry, I have information that you are not going to get this post,” Siddaramaiah said.
Yatnal hit back at Siddaramaiah saying that whatever the latter says never happens. “Siddaramiah said Kumaraswamy can never become the CM. But he became CM in 2018. You are saying that I will not become LoP... but I will become,” the senior BJP legislator added.
Never did ‘adjustment politics’: Siddu
Reiterating that he has never indulged in “adjustment politics” in his entire political career, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the Assembly on Wednesday that, if someone proves that he has done so, he would resign as CM immediately. During a heated debate with Vijayapura City BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Siddaramaiah said, “I started my political career by entering the Assembly in 1983. I have not done any kind of adjustment politics in the last 40 years. There is no need for me to do it. Even when I became the CM or the Leader of Opposition, I did not do adjustment politics.”