In a fresh twist to the blow hot, blow cold relationship between the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka, chief minister HD Kumarawamy’s son Nikhil was heard telling party cadre in a video that they must prepare themselves for assembly polls.
In the video, which has now gone viral, Nikhil is heard telling his partymen that the elections may come anytime, be it next year or after two or three years. "We need to start now only. We should not say we will do it later. We have to prepare from the next month onwards. We do not know when it (election) comes, next year, after two years or three years. JD(S) leaders should be ready," Nikhil says.
Nikhil, who lost the recent Lok Sabha poll from Mandya to BJP-backed independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh in a fiercely fought contest, however, said there was no threat to the government and his father will complete the tenure.
"There is no problem to the government. It will complete (its tenure). You get tensed due to reports in media. It is not like that. We know what is there inside (the government). Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) will run (the government) for the next four years too," he said.
The JD(S) soon swung into damage-control mode, with Kumaraswamy's office saying Nikhil's statement was taken out of context. "This government will complete its term. What he has said is that the government will stay for four more years. He says media only showing the negatives, we should be prepared come what may. When he says government will stay, where is the question of elections? It's taken out of context."
The video of Nikhil speaking to Janata Dal (Secular) workers in Mandya two days ago was first shared by party worker Sunil Gowda Dandiganahalli.
Nikhil's statement comes close on the heels of AH Vishwanath's resignation as state JD(S) chief after owning "moral responsibility" for the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls and flaying the functioning of the coalition government.
The Congress is also in turmoil with miffed "sidelined" senior leaders openly slamming the party's state leadership over the poll debacle and functioning of the coalition. The coalition partners could win only one seat each from Bengaluru Rural and Hassan, with BJP capturing 25 of the 28 seats in the state.
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