MYSURU: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has positioned his son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, to collect money.
Speaking to reporters before attending the DISHA meeting on the zilla panchayat premises on Friday, Kumaraswamy claimed that officials are aware of how the Chief Minister’s son operates.
“Siddaramaiah has no moral authority to speak about family politics. I have not brought my son into politics to collect money. If he is an unwavering leader, let him quit the Congress and win at least five seats for his own party. He should first prove that,” Kumaraswamy challenged Siddaramaiah.
Accusing Siddaramaiah of hypocrisy, Kumaraswamy said the former had criticised the JDS for family politics but had himself inducted his son into public life.
“When I was CM, I did not appoint my son to any committee or assign him responsibility over districts. After the death of his first son, Siddaramaiah brought his second son into politics. Was it not for collecting money? I have not done that, but his son is doing so now,” the former CM alleged.
Kumaraswamy said Siddaramaiah often claims that the undivided Janata Dal won 58 seats when he was in the party. “Both HD Deve Gowda and I played a major role in that victory. His contribution was minimal. In 1999, when he was the party president, how many seats did the party win?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy further claimed that Siddaramaiah and senior leader HC Mahadevappa had once approached Gowda seeking support. “They came to his house and pleaded emotionally. It would be better if Siddaramaiah recalls such instances,” Kumaraswamy said.
‘Betrayed party in name of AHINDA’
Kumaraswamy accused Siddaramaiah of sidelining the party leadership through his AHINDA platform. “In 2004, he neither campaigned in Mandya nor Ramanagara, and we did not invite him either. He later formed AHINDA and did injustice to Deve Gowda. He backstabbed the party,” he said.
Referring to a narrow electoral victory, he added, “He once won by just 200 votes. People will not forgive him if he forgets the past now that he is in power. He should also introspect on why he lost from Chamundeshwari.”
He further criticised the Congress’ position nationally. “He speaks lightly about JDS, but in Tamil Nadu, Congress depends on DMK for seats. In Bihar, the party struggled to win even a handful. For a party in such a position, how appropriate is it to criticise us? We may be a regional party, but what is Congress’ strength today?” Kumaraswamy questioned.