Kumaraswamy trashed resentment within Congress over alliance

Karnataka Chief Minister-designate HD Kumaraswamy on Monday refuted the reports of resentment within the Congress party over its alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S), while calling it bogus and fake.

"Who told you? This is all bogus and fake news. This is not true," Kumaraswamy told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said that the party is happy being in an alliance with the JD(S).

Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, "We are 100 percent happy. There is give and take policy is there, even in Bengaluru's Municipal Corporation alliance is functioning smoothly for 3 years."

"Of course some people in both parties will have to sacrifice, as all can't become ministers," he added.

 

Earlier in the day, Senior Congress leader from Karnataka, D.K. Shivakumar had said that the Congress party and the JD (S) - had to sort out their differences for the sake of forming a secular government in Karnataka.

Admitting that the Congress and the JD-S were at loggerheads before the Karnataka state assembly polls, Shivakumar told ANI, "In politics, I have been fighting against the Gowdas since 1985. In the last parliamentary election and assembly election against them, I won against his son, I won against his daughter-in-law. A lot of politics have been played. Lots of cases were also registered. But in the interests of the nation and party, we need a secular government in Karnataka."

"Rahul Gandhi has taken a decision that there should be a secular government here. That is what the entire country needs and that is why we have taken this stand (alliance with JD-S). I had to swallow all this bitterness since this is my duty," he added.

The Congress, which emerged as the second largest party after recently-held Karnataka state assembly elections, forged an alliance with the JD-S to form a government in the state.

Asked whether he was happy on securing an alliance with the JD-S, Shivakumar said, "Sometimes, individuality doesn't count here. Individuality is not important. Whatever collective or major decisions are taken, one man may like or the other man may not like. I also gave consent for the formation of this government.