CM’s post is a curse to Kumaraswamy - Gowda

Former Prime Minister and JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda said that the post of Chief Minister had become a “curse” to his son H D Kumaraswamy in view of the obstacles placed by coalition partner BJP in the path of welfare programmes for poor and backward classes in Karnataka.

Gowda’s fresh offensive against the BJP came after he inaugurated a convention of Madivala community at Bangalore. The former Prime Minister told the members of the backward community gathered for the function that the JD (S) was ready to implement internal reservation for backward classes in the State, but the BJP was opposed to the idea.

Though internal reservation would benefit millions of people from the backward community, the BJP was not allowing his son and Chief Minister to go ahead with it. “The only problem is convincing the BJP. If they agree, I will instruct my son to take a decision to implement internal reservation in the next Cabinet itself”, Gowda said.

“The Chief Minister’s post had become a curse to him”, Gowda said and added that Kumaraswamy was continuing in the post of Chief Minister as power had become a necessity to do something good for the poor. “On the one hand he has to retain power, on the other he has to perform coalition dharma. I feel sorry for him”, Gowda said.

Gowda’s latest attack on the BJP comes less than a week after he warned the BJP against crossing the “Lakshman Rekha” and strictly adhering to the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition. “The BJP will get its stipulated 20 months of chief ministership in keeping with the pre-Government formation understanding, provided it sticks to the Common Minimum Programme and does not cross the Lakshman Rekha”, Gowda had told reporters after a party meeting in Bangalore last Tuesday.