All is well for Kumaraswawy

HD Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: In his first comments after 13 MLAs resigned and plunged the Congress-JDS coalition government into a crisis, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday asserted he has "no fear" about the "political developments" and was concentrating on fulfilling his responsibilities.'

Kumaraswamy, who returned from his 10-day long US trip on Sunday night, said, "I have no fear about the political developments, I will not discuss the political developments... I have nothing do with what BJP people are doing and what others are doing," he said.

Kumaraswamy added: "In the current situation, I have the responsibility of governing the state, my attention is towards fulfilling that responsibility. I have not paid any attention to political developments, there is no such need for me." The JDS leader evaded a direct answer to a question about the resignation of 13 MLAs of the ruling combine and merely said "Let's see". The coalition government will be on the verge of losing its majority if the Assembly Speaker accepts the resignations of the MLAs as its strength will be reduced to 104 in the 224-member assembly, where the half-way mark is 113.

Resignation of Minister and Independent MLA H Nagesh on Monday and his withdrawal of support delivered another blow to the shaky government. The JD(S)-Congress coalition's total strength now stood at 117 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-one and independents-one).

'No relation with developments'

The BJP-ruled government has no relation to the ongoing developments in Karnataka and did not put pressure on any MLA or MP to switch parties, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday in the Lok Sabha. He said the government is committed to protecting the sanctity of Parliament.

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