Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday criticised the Congress for allegedly creating trouble in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

His comments come in the wake of reports that incumbent legislator SP Muddahanume Gowda filed his nomination from Tumkur seat, the constituency from where Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda is contesting the elections. “I have filed my nomination as a Congress candidate,” Muddahanumegowda told ANI. “I request my leader and leaders of JD(S) to reconsider their decision and to give the ticket to me only. I am confident that I will get back the seat.”

Tumkur was one of the eight Lok Sabha seats conceded to the Janata Dal (Secular) as part of the seat-sharing arrangement with Congress in Karnataka.

Tumkur Congress leader KN Rajanna told ANI that he will also file his nomination from the constituency. “We request HD Deve Gowda to contest from Bengaluru North instead of Tumkur. If Deve Gowda wants to contest from here, let him contest on a Congress ticket and we all will vote for him.”

On Sunday, Kumaraswamy said it is the Congress’s responsibility to “sort out its own issues”. “We all are fighting unitedly but a few people are unnecessarily creating a disturbance for their personal gains,” Kumaraswamy told ANI.

The chief minister said some people in the Congress had tried to create “speed breakers” for his party’s candidates. “No matter how much they back stab my candidates, JD(S) workers and I won’t do the same,” ANI quoted him as saying.

Kumaraswamy said that Janata Dal (Secular) workers have not created hurdles for Congress candidates even in constituencies where his party’s presence is strong, Deccan Herald reported.



Amid the tensions, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday urged Congress leader SP Muddahanumegowda to “obey the coalition dharma”, ANI reported. On Monday, Parameshwara said, “Tumkur was not be given to JD(S) but the party high command decided to give it. We never expected that Deve Gowda ji will contest from Tumkur. Now, that he has decided to contest, naturally we will support him.”

Meanwhile, on Monday, Congress general secretary in charge of the Karnataka KC Venugopal thanked the party’s coalition ally for “giving back the Bengaluru North seat. “Indian National Congress is thankful to HD Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together, let us reclaim democracy,” Venugopal tweeted.

@INCIndia is thankful to Shri H D Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together, let us reclaim democracy. — K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) March 24, 2019