Over a decade after the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition collapsed, the circumstances around its formation and fall continued to figure in the Assembly as Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa sparred on the floor of the House with the latter calling the former a “habitual betrayer” and saying that the tendency “runs in his blood.”
The former coalition partners (2006-2007) have been trading charges after the JD(S)-Congress formed the government this year, with the BJP terming this alliance “unholy”.
On Monday, Mr. Yeddyurappa, referring to the collapse of the JD(S)-BJP coalition in 2007, said: “You (Kumaraswamy) are a habitual betrayer and it runs in your blood. I did not interfere when you were the Chief Minister. Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and you met me at a hotel and put forth conditions that were untenable. You betrayed me.”
He further accused Mr. Kumaraswamy of betraying former Chief Minister (in the JD(S)-Congress coalition of 2004-2006) the late Dharam Singh to form the government. He even held Mr. Kumaraswamy responsible for the death of Dharam Singh, which led to pandemonium in the House. Among those who took objection to these remarks was MLA for Jewargi Ajay Singh, son of Dharam Singh. Mr. Yeddyurappa’s remarks also drew sharp reaction from Minister Priyank Kharge, whose father M. Mallikarjun Kharge was close friends with Dharam Singh.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who was replying in the motion of thanks to the Governor’s speech, termed this “unparliamentary”. He reminded him that Dharam Singh lived for many years after the collapse of the coalition and the two shared a cordial relationship despite political differences. The Chief Minister said: “BJP has equal responsibility in forming the 2006-2007 coalition government.”
Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar, who intervened, told the House that if Dharam Singh had passed away within a few months after his government collapsed, then Mr. Yeddyurappa’s statement could be justified. “He was alive for several years. This statement has to be reviewed,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Yeddyurappa accused the coalition of committing “breach of trust”, and said that the poll promises made by the JD(S) such as full farm loan waiver, pension to senior citizens, allowance to pregnant women and loan waiver to SHGs, has to be honoured.
