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Updated: May 25, 2020 22:26 IST

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday received flak for asking employees of a thermal power plant why they were approaching him with their grievances when they had voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kumaraswamy was on his way to Karegudda as part of his village visits programme when Yermarus Thermal Power Station employees protested in front of the bus he was travelling in and shouted slogans against him.

“I will ask the police to conduct a lathi charge. You vote for Modi but expect me to solve your problems,” he told the employees, who were protesting to push for their demands, including the unfulfilled ‘promise’ of jobs in exchange for the land taken over for the power project. Earlier in the day, the CM hit out at the BJP for accusing him of favouring a few districts in southern Karnataka for developmental works.

The BJP, which swept the April-May national polls in Karnataka and won 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, condemned the CM’s behaviour. “I want to ask Kumaraswamy if he is the chief minister of the state or of the Janata Dal (Secular)? Has he taken oath on the Constitution or JD (S)? The employees have only asked the CM to listen to their grievances. If you are the chief minister of only the people who voted for you, then you are not fit to run the state,” said BJP state general secretary C T Ravi.

Later, Kumaraswamy told a television channel that he had sought 15 days to address the workers’ grievances but they blocked the road which angered him. “This government is tolerant, but it is not incapable and knows how to deal with situations,” he said. JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda defended his son saying,” I feel certain forces, which are unable to tolerate the village stay programme, are putting obstacles.”