By IANS,
Bangalore : Beleaguered Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Wednesday bemoaned that former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his sons, including former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former minister H.D. Revanna, were a curse on the state.
“Father and sons of the Deve Gowda family are a curse on the state. Their party – Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) – cannot come to power again on its own strength. The people of the state will teach a lesson to them again,” a hurt Yeddyurappa told reporters here within hours of facing a revolt from 19 rebel lawmakers, including seven ministers.
Annoyed over Kumaraswamy creating confusion among people by accusing him of de-notifying prime government land in and around Bangalore for allotting them to his sons – B.S. Vijayendra and B.S. Raghavendra, Yeddyurappa alleged that JD-S was bribing the dissident legislators Rs.20-30 crore to revolt against him and bring down the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the southern state.
“I wonder where from Gowda and sons got so much money to bribe our legislators. People will never pardon them and their party. Though they are trying to make a back door entry to power, they will never succeed,” Yeddyurappa asserted.
Quoting the proverbial ‘dog is man’s best friend’, the chief minister said that while no one could question a dog’s loyalty, it was only man who changes his loyalty.
“Actions speak louder than words. We are not in politics for livelihood but to serve the people of the state and the nation. I appeal to the dissident legislators to come back and seek an apology from the people for betraying their faith,” Yeddyurappa said.
Accusing Gowda and family of illegally holding 4,000-5,000 acres of lands in and around Bangalore, Yeddyurappa said he would expose the father and sons on the floor of the house with documentary evidence from official records.
“There was no need for Kumaraswamy to accuse me of signing official letters differently and kick up a row as I accepted that they were my signatures. What’s new about it? Politicians and ministers do sign in short or long form. Even when Kumaraswamy was chief minister (February 2006 to October 2007), he also signed differently. He should clarify whose signatures they were – of his father (Deve Gowda) or his brothers (Revanna or Balakrishna)?,” Yeddyurappa added.