Siddaramaiah said he didn't object HD Kumaraswamy becoming Chief Minister (File)

Highlights Congress-JDS leaders trade blame over government collapse

Alliance government was formed last year after Karnataka elections

Deve Gowda said wrong move to make HD Kumaraswamy chief minister

The Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) alliance in Karnataka is all but over, with top leaders of the two parties trading blame for the collapse of their year-old government last month. After JDS leader and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda targeted Siddaramaiah and accused him of precipitating the fall of their government, the Congress leader hit back.

The Congress leader said that he supported HD Kumaraswamy's name for the chief ministerial post to save the opposition, which, he alleged, was under threat from the BJP.

Communal party was/is at the helm of affairs in our country. Central govt was/is trying to curtail opposition. There was an urgent need to protect the constitution, democracy & secular fabrics. For the same reason, I did not object when @hd_kumaraswamy was made @CMofKarnataka. pic.twitter.com/BCLlaONSGZ - Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 23, 2019

"Our party high command will take a decision on the Karnataka-Janata Dal Secular alliance. I will inform them about my opinion in this regard," Mr Siddaramaiah tweeted.

"Only HD Deve Gowda and his sons - HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna are responsible for the failure of our coalition," Mr Siddaramaiah said.

The JDS and the Congress had stitched an alliance last year after the Karnataka assembly election to prevent the BJP -- which was the single-largest party -- from forming the government. JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy became the Chief Minister despite his party winning only 37 seats.

The fragile alliance, however, won only a couple of seats out of 28 in the general election earlier this year. Within months of the polls, the state government collapsed after failing a trust vote brought about by the resignation of 16 coalition lawmakers.

The BJP's BS Yeddiyurappa later formed the government, assuming the Chief Minister's position.

"A communal party was/is at the helm of affairs in our country. The central government was/is trying to curtail opposition. There was an urgent need to protect the constitution, democracy and the secular fabric. For the same reason, I did not object when HD Kumaraswamy was made the Chief Minister of Karnataka," Mr Siddaramaiah said.

"In spite of this, HD Deve Gowda has blamed me for the downfall of coalition government when he gave an interview to an English newspaper. Only HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna are responsible for the failure of our coalition," he added.

On Thursday, Mr Deve Gowda, 86, said the Congress had been "wrong" in making his son, HD Kumaraswamy, the Chief Minister without consulting Mr Siddaramaiah.

"I have clearly said that without taking Siddaramaiah, who was Chief Minister for five years, into confidence Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi all of a sudden came and said HD Kumaraswamy is the next Chief Minister, it was their wrong decision," the former Prime Minister said.