Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s announcement of handing over the phone-tapping case to the CBI for a probe seems to have driven a new wedge between former Chief Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah.
This was visible with Mr. Kumaraswamy sarcastically thanking the Chief Minister on behalf of Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had sought a probe, for respecting the views of the Congress leaders so much.
“Mr. Yediyurappa has acted in an electrifying speed on the advice of Mr. Siddaramaiah,” he said and demanded that the scope of the probe be expanded to the tenures of Mr. Yediyurappa and Mr. Siddaramaiah as Chief Ministers. “Let everything that happened during their tenures come out as well,” he told mediapersons in Dharmasthala on Sunday.
Though Mr. Siddaramaiah welcomed the CBI probe, he was cautious not to be seen supporting the Chief Minister. “I welcome Mr. Yediyurappa’s decision of handing over the phone-tapping case to the CBI. But, in the past, the BJP has used the CBI as its puppet to unleash its venomous political vendetta. Hope the leaders do not have similar intentions this time. Allegations of ‘Operation Lotus’ is as serious as phone-tapping. I urge Mr. Yediyurappa to order a CBI investigation into the alleged ‘Operation Lotus’ also,” he said in a series of tweets.
With the BJP government standing on a wafer-thin majority in the Assembly and byelection to 17 Assembly seats expected in six months, the BJP would gain if the alliance between the Congress and the JD(S) breaks down. “Already, there is no love lost between Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Kumaraswamy, as the latter sees the former as one of those who conspired against his government. Mr. Yediyurappa’s gamble to further drive a wedge between the leaders has definitely paid off,” a BJP leader said. This only seems to be the latest flashpoint between the two leaders.
Meanwhile, a section of the Congress keen on breaking its alliance with the JD(S) is looking for a reason to precipitate the break-up in a way the blame is not on them.
“Any evidence that suggests phones of senior Congressmen or their associates being tapped during Mr. Kumaraswamy’s tenure could provide sufficient grounds for such a break-up,” sources said.
‘Ready to face probe’
Mr. Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, said he was prepared to face any high-level probe. “Not just the CBI, let them call Trump and get an international probe,” he said taking potshots at the BJP. “Since I have not done anything wrong, I’m confident of facing any investigation. There is no question of fear,” he told mediapersons in Dharmasthala.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, during his earlier stint as Chief Minister, had said he will ensure that I go to prison, but the State knows what happened to him, Mr. Kumaraswamy said adding that how much ever anybody tried, no harm could be caused to either him or Deve Gowda’s family. He said he had not ordered any phone-tapping during his 14-month tenure as Chief Minister, but a certain section of the media, especially two Kannada channels, were trying to tarnish his image by stating that the probe would damage him.
“The Chief Minister has said that he has resorted to a CBI probe on the advice of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. I have heard that Mr. Siddaramaiah has also sought a probe into the allurement of MLAs by the BJP through ‘Operation Lotus’ in the last few months. Hope Mr. Yediyurappa will follow Mr. Siddaramaiah’s advice on this too,” he said speaking to presspersons in Udupi later in the day.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said Yediyurappa was caught on tape trying to allure an MLA some months ago when he was Chief Minister. “I did not misuse my powers and order any probe into it,” he said.