Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who were earlier open critics of the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have now aligned themselves with the BJP just for their own political existence.
Mr Siddaramaiah, who campaigned for the Davangere South Assembly by-election, told reporters in Davangere to remember what Mr Deve Gowda, Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Narayanaswamy had said about the RSS and Mr Modi when they were out of the BJP fold.
“These people have joined hands with the BJP to save their existence. What morals do they have to criticize us?” he asked.
The Chief Minister said that people have appreciated the guarantee schemes. However, the BJP was against guarantee schemes that were for the poor. “People have no reason to support BJP which is anti-poor and anti-constitution,” he said.
On Mr. Kumaraswamy’s statement that it was the people who wanted them to contest the elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to know why his (HDK) son was defeated in Channapatna. “There is nothing wrong in contesting elections if people want it. But why fight if people reject you,” he asked.
Asked about BZ Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, who spent less time in Davangere due to agitation, he said that Mr. Khan worked for the party in Kerala, Bagalkot and other places including Davangere. As a disciplined party soldier, he (Zameer) had a clear message for voters and workers, he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Mr. Narayanaswamy had taken advantage of the party when he was in the Congress and had now joined the BJP and was reaping the benefits.
The Prime Minister said that when he was JD(S) president, the party had won 59 seats and had never won so many seats subsequently. Now, according to him, it has fallen to 19 places.
Published – 07 Apr 2026 0:43 IST
