Congress will soon see clashes, street fighting over CM’s post: Karnataka BJP chief

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra said on Thursday that the ruling Congress party in the state will soon witness street fighting and clashes over the Chief Minister’s post and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar was waiting for his turn to occupy the seat.

Speaking at a press conference in Kalaburagi, Vijayendra, said, “Infighting within the Congress party has started, and what was confined within four walls has now come out in the open. There will soon be clashes within the party and there will also be street fights.”

He made the statements while responding to questions about the differing statements by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar regarding the power-sharing agreement.

Vijayendra said that Deputy CM Shivakumar was waiting for his turn to become the CM who claimed that he has a 50 per cent stake in bringing the Congress government to power.

The BJP leader asserted that there is competition within Congress for the CM's position and demanded that Siddaramaiah clarify the details of their internal agreement.

Commenting over the internal fighting over the power-sharing pact between him and CM Siddaramaiah, Dy CM Shivakumar said on Thursday in Bengaluru, “Currently, there is no proposal for the transfer of power. We will complete our government’s tenure without any issues.”

When asked about Home Minister G. Parameshwara's alleged dissatisfaction regarding the power-sharing agreement, Shivakumar responded: “I haven’t spoken about this in front of you. I haven’t discussed this with Parameshwara or anyone else. I only shared my perspective in a television interview. Is it possible for me to disclose everything we have discussed in front of you? On this matter, the Chief Minister said yesterday that there has been no discussion, and I agree with his statement.”

When asked whether there were differences between him and Parameshwara, Shivakumar clarified: “I have no differences with anyone. In politics, I have no enemies -- everyone is my friend. We have worked together as a team within the party and will continue to do so. We will achieve success together.”

Referring to ‘Jan Kalyan Samavesha’ organised by the party, Shivakumar stated, “We don’t need to demonstrate our strength. When our party conducts programmes to convey its principles to the people, why do BJP and JD(S) feel restless?... Our party, along with many organisations, is organising the convention at Hassan. Several organisations have come forward to extend their support for programmes to be held in other districts in the future. When our mothers shed tears in Hassan, no one tried to wipe them away,” Shivakumar charged, referring to the sex video scam involving Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda.

“They came to Channapatna and shed tears there too. BJP and JD(S) are losing their ground, and out of frustration, they are criticizing our programmes,” Shivakumar maintained while indirectly referring to the defeat of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil's defeat in the bypoll to the Channapatna Assembly seat. Kumaraswamy represented the seat earlier.