Lame-duck govt remark made in different context, says Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday resorted to damage control as he sought to downplay the statement of law and parliamentary affairs minister JC Madhuswamy on the performance of the government, saying the latter's statement was blown out of context and there was no need to attach any meaning to it.
"He (Madhuswamy) had said it in another context - related to a cooperative-related issue three months ago. There is no need to take this amiss. I've spoken to him. All fine within the government, there's no problem," Bommai said.
The CM said he would talk to ministers ST Somashekar and N Muniratna, who are upset about Madhuswamy's remarks, and have sought his resignation. Madhuswamy said he had convinced the CM about his statement. "As per the Constitution, I must convince only the CM," he said.
On the demand for his resignation by his cabinet colleagues, the embattled minister said, "I need not reply to them. If the CM asks for my resignation, then I will do so without uttering a word."
A purported phone conversation between Madhuswamy and Bhaskar, a Channapatna-based social worker, went viral on Saturday. "We are not running a government here; we are just managing, pulling through for the next 7-8 months," Madhuswamy is heard telling Bhaskar in response to the latter's complaints against a cooperative bank on farmers' issues. The Congress claimed on social media that it was a classic example of incompetence of the ruling BJP.