Siddaramaiah vs HDK: Ugly war of words with long history of animosity

Even by the standards of Indian politics, the relationship between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has hit a new and ugly low.

The fact that Siddaramaiah was once a JD(S) leader and feels strongly that he got booted out from the party because of Kumaraswamy has only made matters worse. It is felt that Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister and son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, probably cannot stomach seeing Siddaramaiah in the CM's saddle.

Naturally, neither in the Assembly nor outside do the two men spare each other. The unending barbs are at times too personal, leaving many embarrassed. HDK, as Kumaraswamy is widely known, calls Siddaramaiah a hypocrite. Siddaramaiah dubs HDK a thief and sadist.

Long history of animosity

The bad blood is hardly fresh. Back in 2016, when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister, HDK attacked him regularly. He once asked how Siddaramaiah, who claimed to be socialist, could afford a wristwatch costing several lakhs of rupees. He alleged that it was gifted by someone to get favours.

This embarrassed Siddaramiah and the opposition BJP demanded an investigation and his resignation. Siddaramaiah said the watch was gifted by a Dubai-based cardiac surgeon and promised to deposit it in the state secretariat.

The war of words continued even when Siddaramaiah was the opposition leader in the subsequent BJP regime. When he became the CM this year, HDK’s aggression resumed with a vengeance.

Power struggle

Siddaramaiah was once the JD(S) Karnataka president. He played a key role along with Deve Gowda in expanding the party’s influence in the state. When he became the CM again in May, it is seen to have shattered the dreams of HDK, who had hoped for a hung verdict to claim the top post using either the Congress or the BJP as a prop.

After the 2004 polls, JD(S) extended its support to Congress to form the government. While Dharam Singh (Congress) was made Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah (then with JDS) was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. However, in 2006, the government collapsed when JD(S) MLAs, under Kumaraswamy's leadership, quit the coalition. After high drama, Kumaraswamy took over as Chief Minister, with Yediyurappa as his deputy. A furious Siddaramaiah joined the Congress. The war between the two men which got ignited still rages on.

Latest row

On November 13, Kumaraswamy alleged that a minister had gifted a cot and two pairs of sofas worth Rs 1.90 crore to Siddaramaiah's official bungalow. “You talk about poor people. You say that you are a saralaramayya (simple man) but you are a aisharamaiah (man who leads a lavish life), isn't it?” HDK charged. Siddaramaiah’s party, the Congress, wondered loud if any sofa set can cost that much.

The next day, the Congress released a video showing theft of electricity during Diwali from a power line on the street to HDK’s house in Bengaluru's JP Nagar. A case was promptly registered by the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Co (BESCOM), which filed a police case that can lead to six months in jail. As the video went viral on social platforms, HDK was forced to admit the mistake but blamed it on a private decorator.

As if on cue, Congress leaders including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar made fun of HDK. On Friday, HDK paid Rs 68,526 for drawing electricity from an illegal connection to illuminate his residence but termed it as "unjust and excessive".

HDK fumes

A furious HDK thundered: “I have not embezzled state property. I have not fenced anybody’s land. I have not drunk anybody’s blood.” He released a video clip in which Siddaramaiah’s son and former MLA Yatindra is purportedly heard seeking changes to a list of names.

HDK alleged that it was all about postings of officers in the government, and accused Yatindra of acting like a ‘Super Chief Minister’. Accusing Yatindra of corruption, HDK alleged that government officials seeking transfers of their choice had to pay YST, or Yatindra Siddaramaiah Tax. Since he could not prove the charge, the Congress party labelled him a “hit and run person”.

Siddaramaiah insisted that he and his son were discussing fund allocations to five schools in his Assembly constituency, which is looked after by Yatindra. He even released documents related to the claims made in the video.

This is when Siddaramaiah called HDK a sadist and a thief. “There is no need to explain the false allegations of liars. But I have given this detail so that innocent people should not believe the false news," he thundered.

The CM went on to say that Kumaraswamy has misused his power to cheat, break promises and to loot money. As Siddaramaiah completes six months in office in his latest stint, the war with HDK shows no signs of abating.