Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy clarified any talk of mid-term polls in Karnataka is "irrelevant". (FILE)
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday said the coalition government in the state headed by him would complete its five-year term and any talk of mid-term polls now is "irrelevant".
His comments came as a video of his son Nikhil asking Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) workers to get ready for assembly polls doing rounds on social media.
"Nikhil Kumaraswamy cheering up party workers has told them that they should always be ready to serve the society. Not only during elections, they should always keep the party in a state of activeness so as to win the election whenever it comes. This statement of his has been quoted out of context by the media to represent that there may be election anytime," H D Kumaraswamy said in a statement.
"The coalition government will successfully complete its five-year term. Any talk of mid-term polls now is irrelevant," he said.
In an indication of lack of trust between coalition partners the JDS and the Congress, the video purportedly showed Nikhil Kumaraswamy asking his party workers to prepare themselves for assembly polls, saying one doesn't know when it would come.
However, he also said there was no threat to the government and his father would complete the tenure.
"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 don't know when it (election) comes, next year, after two years or three years. JDS leaders should be ready," the video showed the Kumaraswamy junior telling party workers.
"There is no problem to the government. It will complete (its tenure). You get tensed due to the reports in media. It is not like that. We know what is there inside (government). Nothing will happen. Kumaranna (H D Kumaraswamy) will run (the government) for the next four years too," he had said.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost the Lok Sabha election from Mandya to Bharatiya Janata Party-backed Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh. His remarks to JDS workers had gained significance amid coalition woes and threat of instability.
Congress and JDS leaders are trying to save their coalition with even plans of cabinet expansion, fearing the BJP might revive efforts to topple the government encouraged by its spectacular win in the Lok Sabha polls in which it won 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka.
The coalition partners had won only one seat each.