The former Karnataka Chief Minister belonging to the JDS was speaking at a community programme of the Vokkaligas.
Bengaluru: In a rare display of bonhomie between foe-turned-friends-turn-foe, former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has said that if a situation presents itself where is there is an opportunity for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar to become the chief minister, he would extend support, thus rekindling the tired out relationship between the JDS and Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections in 2023.
Kumaraswamy was speaking at the community programme of the Vokkaligas organised in Chitradurga on Friday evening. “We were recently asked by the community to help with respect to some government work related to Vokkaligas. We told them to give us the pen (meaning authority) and we will resolve all the problems in 24 hours. I will also strive to become the chief minister from my party and let Shivakumar also try from his party. Let us see who the gods will bless and who has the fortune,’’ Kumaraswamy said looking at seer Nirmalananda Swamiji of AdiChunchanagiri math, the biggest body of Vokkaligas with folded hands.
The former chief minister also said that he became CM on two occasions by arrangement and not by mandate and requested people to give him absolute majority. Later, KPCC president took to the stage and said that the time had come for him to take the top post and he needed the blessings of the seers and people of the community. “There is light passing through the window and doors, goddess Lakshmi is at the door, it is up to you to welcome the goddess inside or send her back. I have spoken at length with our beloved seer on the current political situation and people should take the hint,’’ he said.
Vokkaligas constitute a good 12% of the total vote share in the state electorate, only second to Lingayats and are dominant in the Old Mysore region and southern part of Karnataka. The community has given over half a dozen CMs, including K.C. Reddy, Kengal Hanumanthiah, Kadidal Manjappa, H.D. Deve Gowda, S.M. Krishna, H.D. Kumaraswamy, and Sadananada Gowda. With the state entering the election year, there is an increasing number of public programmes where the issue of the next chief minister of the state is cropping up. There was an ugly spat between supporters of Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar recently and the party high command had to intervene and issue notice to Siddu’s aide and Chamrajpet MLS B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, following which such spats have come down drastically.