H.D. Kumaraswamy fires another salvo, amplifying political tensions

Mysore/Mysuru: Stung by a series of allegations over the ‘cash-for-posting’ racket that has emerged after his son and former Varuna MLA Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah was seen on video issuing directions and calling the shots, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said, “I will reply to this on the floor of the House at Legislative Assembly where I am bound to answer.”

Speaking to media persons outside his T.K. Layout residence in city this morning, Siddharamaiah said, “There is no need to hear whatever they (Opposition parties) say. I have to answer in the Assembly and will reply there itself.”

To a specific query on an officer by name Vivekananda (whose name Dr. Yathindra had taken as seen in the video), CM shot back. “Do you know who Vivekananda is? My son has spoken about the Block Education Officer (BEO) of Mysuru taluk Vivekananda. The Vivekananda they are speaking about is a Police Inspector transferred to V.V. Puram Police Station, which falls under Chamaraja Constituency. Better you should ask Chamaraja MLA about the issue.”

Meanwhile, hours after the Karnataka Government transferred 71 Police Inspectors, former CM and JD(S) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy claimed this morning that an officer mentioned in Dr. Yathindra’s viral video aligned with Vivekananda who has been posted to V.V. Puram, prompting further friction.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Kumaraswamy launched a no-holds-barred attack on Siddharamaiah, accusing Yathindra and the CM of discussing the Police Inspector transfers in the viral video.

He pointed out that the serial number 4 in the transfer list where a Police officer named Vivekananda was mentioned. His transfer to the Intelligence Wing was put on hold and was reposted as Police Inspector of VV Puram Police Station in Mysuru. “The Congress leaders must make a film ‘cash-for-posting and Congress treasury’…with the temporary CM as its producer, duplicate CM-Dy.CM as director,” Kumaraswamy posted.

CM on poster campaign

To another query on ‘poster campaign’ against Congress in Chikkamagaluru, the CM said today, “People have already taught them (JD-S) a lesson, restricting the party to Opposition benches for five years. BJP and JD(S) both were harping on returning to power and forming a coalition Government. But the people voted for Congress in a big way. So, they are speaking in desperation for failing to return to power.”

Irked over the statement ‘Kaurava Samskriti Rajakarana’ (Doing politics like Kauravas in epic Mahabharata) made by Kumaraswamy, the CM asked “Will Kumaraswamy prove the allegations? He is sulking for the people, reducing his party to half to 19 MLAs against 37 MLAs they had in the previous Assembly. What happened to their Pancharatna promise? Why didn’t Kumaraswamy reveal the documents related to corruption he claimed to have stored in a pen drive, in the Assembly.”

“He is charged for power theft and why are you asking about him? What morality does he have to speak about others? The fine paid towards power theft itself proves the charges. Be it big or small, crime is a crime,” CM said.