Minister backtracks on charges against Karnataka chief minister

Bangalore, Sep 28 (IANS) Karnataka Tourism Minister B. Sriramulu Friday gave a new twist to the power transfer row in the state clarifying that he has not charged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy with attempt to murder him.

“I am only saying that atrocities were being committed on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers in the name of the chief minister,” Sriramulu told reporters in Bellary after casting his vote in the local body polls.


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Kumaraswamy and his father and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) president H.D. Deve Gowda have taken serious exception to Sriramulu’s charge made on Tuesday in Bellary.

Kumaraswamy is supposed to give up chief ministership to a BJP candidate on Oct 3 under an informal agreement between the JD-S and BJP reached in February 2006 when the coalition government was formed.

Deve Gowda Thursday cancelled his meetings with BJP central leaders in Delhi, rushed to Bangalore and announced at a hurriedly called press meet that power transfer cannot be discussed as the political atmosphere was not conducive following Sriramulu’s charges.

Kumaraswamy Friday was sarcastic in his reaction to Sriramulu’s claims. “This is the gift I get towards the end of my term,” he said.

Sriramulu’s close aides told IANS from Bellary over phone that his complaint charging Kumaraswamy was not accepted by the police on the ground that, “it was not drafted properly”.

“The minister has no plans to lodge any more complaint with the police or take the issue to court,” the aides said.

Sriramulu told reporters that he will resign from his post on Sep 30. “If I am not wanted as a minister, I will quit. The JD-S should not use me to deny power to the BJP. I am happy to be a mere legislator or a member of parliament. I do not want ministry,” he said.

On Sep 25, Sriramulu had told reporters that shots were fired at him the previous night when he was campaigning for the civic body polls.

“This was an attempt to murder me and the chief minister is behind this,” he had said.

There was high drama at the police station as Sriramulu went down on his knees pleading with the police to protect him and other BJP workers.

Sriramulu’s statements Friday give a breather to the BJP, which is under intense pressure from Deve Gowda to take action against him for making allegations against the chief minister.

The last minute cancellation of Thursday’s Delhi talks by Deve Gowda is seen by the BJP as pressure tactics by the coalition partner to keep Sriramulu out of the next ministry.

Sriramulu, along with suspended BJP legislator K. Janardhana Reddy, wields a lot of clout in the iron-rich Bellary district – the district JD-S leader and Home Minister M.P. Prakash hails from.

Bellary was a Congress stronghold till the 2004 general election.

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