‘PM’s comments are unwarranted’

HUBBALLI: The co-ordination committee chairman of the coalition government Siddaramaiah reacted sharply to the statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that chief minister H D Kumaraswamy was functioning like a clerk and not as a chief minister of the state because of Congress’ intervention.
PM Modi is trying to create differences between JD(S) and Congress by making such statements,” he said.

He spoke to reporters at Hubballi airport on Saturday before proceeding to Belagavi. “Whatever may be Kumaraswamy’s statement, it was an int ernal matter of both parties. The PM has no right to comment about it. Who is he to comment on the functioning of the CM,” he said.

“It was nothing but a political statement. Modi should concentrate on his work. We know how to run the government,” said Siddaramaiah.

The former CM backed minister C Puttaranga Shetty who’s staffer was caught with several lakhs of unaccounted money at the Vidhan Soudha recently. “Puttaranga Shetty is innocent and he has no role in that incident. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is probing the matter. Without a proper inquiry one cannot say he is guilty. Let the ACB complete its investigation,” he said.

Congress and JD(S) will fight the Lok Sabha election together and the seat sharing issue will be discussed at the earliest, he added.