"The issue is not related to me, it is related to Congress leaders": HD Kumaraswamy
Voicing his displeasure over disgruntlement in the Congress over seat sharing with his party JD(S) for the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said it was the grand old party's duty to address it.
The Chief Minister said he would neither plead in front of anyone nor allow his self esteem to be hit.
"...it is something that is not related to my party. They have given 8 seats to my party. We have to field candidates in eight seats, we will do so," Mr Kumaraswamy said to a question about Congress' rebel candidate in Tumakuru.
Former prime minister and HD Kumaraswamy's father HD Deve Gowda is contesting from Tumakuru.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, "The issue is not related to me, it is related to Congress leaders, ask them."
"I have already said in Mandya that I will not plead before anyone and will not allow my self esteem to be hit. We also have strength, our party workers are there. So I will not discuss about it, I will do my duty. Let Congress people do their duty," he added.
HD Kumaraswamy's sharp reaction came days after he accused some Congress leaders of "backstabbing".
He had on Thursday said he would not plead for support with those Congress leaders who are against his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy's candidature as the coalition candidate from Mandya, with several of them supporting independent Sumalatha Ambareesh, despite the grand old party denying her the ticket.
Congress' sitting MP from Tumakuru SP Muddahanumegowda on Saturday said he would file his nomination on Monday as the party candidate, going against the seat sharing arrangement reached between the coalition parties, according to which the seat has gone to JD(S).
Mr Muddahanumegowda's decision follows the simmering discontent within Congress in Tumakuru about ceding the seat to JD(S), despite the party having a sitting MP there.
Mr Muddahanumegowda will be the rebel candidate against former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, as JD(S) on Saturday announced he would be the coalition candidate from Tumakuru.
The development's has added to Congress-JD(S) coalition's worries as the alliance is facing a backlash at several places, including Tumakuru, Mandya and Hassan, with party workers unhappy with the seat arrangement.
For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to the BJP and win more number of seats, it is crucial for the Congress to transfer its votes to JD(S) and vice-versa.
According to the seat sharing arrangement, out of the total of 28 seats, Congress will contest 20 and JD(S) eight.
The Congress and JD(S), that had bitterly fought each other ahead of May 2018 assembly polls, decided to join hands to form a coalition government as the election threw up a hung verdict.