G Parameshwara's Counter, Day After Siddaramaiah's Doubts On JDS Alliance

In an apparent counter to senior party leader Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chief G Parameshwara today said the coalition government with the JDS would complete its full five-year term and what others were talking outside was "irrelevant".

The remarks of G Parameshwara, who is also the deputy chief minister, comes a day after a video showing former chief minister Siddaramaiah allegedly expressing doubts about the longevity of the government emerged, adding to the strains in the coalition.

"It (government) will remain until parliamentary elections are over, after that, what all developments will happen (we will have to see)," Siddaramaiah had allegedly said in the video recorded at a naturopathy hospital "Shantivana" in Dharmasthala, where he is under treatment.

Speaking to reporters at Koppal, G Parameshwara said, "As president (of State Congress) I am issuing this clarification that we have agreed to run this government for five years. What others are talking outside is irrelevant."

He said, "Outsiders talk in different way. For political reasons, they say that this government will run for only one year.  Some say two years."

G Parameshwara said there was no confusion about the longevity of the government.

Even though Congress MLAs have been making a beeline to meet Siddaramaiah at Shantivana, G Parameshwara did not see anything unusual in it.

"What is wrong if we (MLAs from Congress) meet anyone from our party? Where is the confusion? There is no confusion at all," G Parameshwara said.

Siddaramaiah is at loggerheads with Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy over presentation of a fresh budget by the coalition government, insisting that the budget he had tabled as chief minister in February was complete.

Meanwhile Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said in New Delhi that he has seen the video and he would meet Siddaramaiah and ask him in what context he spoke in that manner.

"I will ask him in what context he said so. Or has it been presented in a distorted manner. Or is it a media creation to create animosity between people or whether he has really stated so," said Mr Kharge.

He pointed out that the coalition government was forced to bring together secular forces to keep the BJP away from power.

It was necessary for the Congress and the JDS to strengthen secular forces as much as possible, he said.

He said the Congress high command was monitoring the developments and he would not comment more on this issue.