Karnataka: Siddaramaiah behind toppling govt in 2019, alleges Sudhakar

Minister in the outgoing BJP government K Sudhakar on Wednesday (May 17) questioned former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah whether he can deny the fact that he had no role, “implicitly or explicitly”, in the move by Congress MLAs to quit the party when the coalition government was in office in 2019.

He raised the issue at a time when Siddaramaiah is in stiff competition with state Congress president DK Shivakumar to become the CM after Congress won the Assembly polls by securing 135 seats.

In a series of tweets, Sudhakar accused the Congress leader of assuring the MLAs that he won’t allow the then HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government to continue even for a single day after 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Also read: New Karnataka CM: Siddaramaiah front-runner

Sudhakar was earlier with Congress. He was one among the 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators who quit and defected to the BJP which led to the collapse of the coalition government and paved the way for the BJP to come to power.

Ultimately some of us had to inevitably quit Congress and go back to the people in bypolls, to protect the karyakartas and supporters in our constituencies.

Can Shri Siddaramaiah deny the fact that he had no role, implicitly or explicitly, in this move by Congress MLAs?

3/3

— Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) May 17, 2023

“During the JDS-Congress coalition govt in 2018, whenever MLAs (Congress)went to the then Coordination Committe Chairman Siddaramaiah with their concerns, he used to express his helplessness and say that he has no say in the govt and his constituency/district works itself are stalled,” Sudhakar claimed.

Further, Siddaramaiah used to assure MLAs to wait till 2019 Lok Sabha polls and come what may he wont allow the then coalition government to continue even for a single day after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Also read: Congress hits out at BJP for questioning delay in naming Karnataka CM

Ultimately, some MLAs including him had to inevitably quit Congress and go back to the people in bypolls, to protect the karyakartas and supporters in their constituencies, he said, and asked “Can Shri Siddaramaiah deny the fact that he had no role, implicitly or explicitly, in this move by Congress MLAs?”

Sudhakar, after defecting to BJP, contested the bypolls on the party ticket and won, and also went on to become Health Minister in the government.

He lost the May 10 Assembly polls from Chikkaballapura seat.