Speaking to the media in Mandya, Kumaraswamy said, “Former chief minister and senior BJP leader D V Sadananda Gowda himself proposed the formation of a JD(S)-BJP coordination committee. Many senior leaders have also recommended it. There is no threat to the alliance,” he asserted, emphasising the ongoing cooperation between the two parties.
In response to questions about the BJP’s Janakrosha protest, Kumaraswamy clarified, “The BJP is organising this protest to strengthen their own party. They didn’t invite us, and it is their event. As they have stated, it is a protest against the Congress-led government. There is no rift within the alliance. All parties are united, with each focusing on their respective organisational goals,” he explained, downplaying any suggestion of tension.
Kumaraswamy, however, did not hold back when addressing comments made by Minister for Agriculture N Cheluvarayaswamy, who claimed that he had made Kumaraswamy the chief minister. Kumaraswamy quickly dismissed the statement, calling it “the biggest joke.” He responded, “It was the MLAs who made me the chief minister, not him. He should not forget that.”
Turning to the specifics of the accusation, Kumaraswamy fired back at the journalist’s questioning on Cheluvarayaswamy’s statement, asserting, “The MLAs were with me, and that person knows it too. Did the MLAs come looking at his face? No, they came because they believed in me. Isn’t he aware of all this?”
Without directly naming Cheluvarayaswamy, Kumaraswamy went further, branding him as “100% a joker” and adding, “The ‘joker culture’ originated in the Congress party, and he should not forget that. Everyone knows where he was and where he went later. There’s no need to respond to such a person.”
Kumaraswamy also responded to Cheluvarayaswamy’s challenge to take an oath at the Hindu pilgrimage centre Dharmasthala in response to the allegations. He said, “I am ready to take the oath. When I became chief minister, did the MLAs come looking at his face? The struggle I went through to make him a minister was immense. He wouldn’t let me sleep until 3 am. Did 50 MLAs come because of him? He should not forget the effort I made on his behalf.”
Kumaraswamy continued, visibly emotional, “I don’t have the kind of habits he has. If you ask the people of Mandya about his habits, they talk about them on the streets. It’s inappropriate to discuss such things—it’s in bad taste. The people of Mandya know what kind of taste he has. I know how many households this person has ruined. I never craved money. I worked tirelessly among the people, doing Janata Darshans and staying in villages. Serving the people is my personal commitment. I don’t have any of his vices. God is watching everything,” he said, underlining his dedication to public service.
He added, “Is it really important to discuss one’s personal life? When we associate with such treacherous people, problems are bound to arise. No human is perfect. God gives us a chance to correct our mistakes. I’ve admitted in the Assembly that I made a mistake once in my life. I’ve never said I’m faultless, but I know what that man has done. Let’s move beyond these personal matters and focus on the welfare of the people.”
Cheluvarayaswamy, who was once a close ally of Kumaraswamy and the H D Deve Gowda family, had previously quit the JD(S) along with other leaders to join the Congress, where he went on to become a minister.