From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 18: A day after JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D DeveGowda publicly confessed that there were "serious differences" within JD(S) and the party legislators and workers were "free to remain or quit to join other parties," former chief minister and Gowda’s son H D Kumaraswamy on Monday blamed Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah for trying to split the JD(S).
Kumaraswamy asserted that there was "complete unity and no misunderstanding" in JD(S) and also claimed that none of the party MLAs would leave the organisation.
"I know my legislators. It is my firm belief is that no one will leave the party," Kumaraswamy declared.
He, however, said sometimes our MLAs meet the Chief Minister regarding work related to their constituency and that should not be misunderstood as rift in JD(S).
Kumaraswamy alleged that Siddaramaiah was showing his narrow minded attitude by misusing his power to win over the party MLAs.
Addressing JD(S) workers state level conference in Bangalore on Monday, he said the chief minister was trying to create misunderstanding among us by giving out some reliable source based information to the media about the MLAs meeting with him (indicating they would quit JD(S)).
MLAs meeting the Chief Minister for their constituency related work is being misrepresented, and this is causing confusion among party workers, he said.
Kumaraswamy’s comment comes just a day after DeveGowda said those party leaders willing to support Congress in the August 21 Assembly bypoll to Shikaripura constituency could either join any of the two national parties or remain in JD(S) and work to strengthen it.
Speculation is rife that three JD(S) leaders - Madhu Bangarappa, Chelavarayaswamy and Zameer Ahmed Khan - have been cosying up to the Congress.
Siddaramaiah had claimed on August 13 that local JD(S) leaders had expressed willingness to support Congress in the Shikaripurabypoll to unseat BJP which has fielded former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra.
JD(S) workers demanded that Kumaraswamy be made the state President to strengthen the party in the state.