Amid JDS-Congress rift over Karnataka budget, Deve Gowda says government is safe

A video showing Siddaramaiah purportedly expressing doubts about the longevity of the JDS-Congress government has surfaced, adding to the strains in the coalition.

File photo (IANS)

Bengaluru: Amid strains in the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Deve Gowda said on Wednesday that Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will present the budget on July 5 and there is no danger to his son's government. "Kumaraswamy will present the budget on July 5. There is no anxiety, he will do it. The budget will get passed by July 12," he said.

"There will be no danger to the government. There is anxiety among you (the media)... Now go back with satisfaction," he added, speaking to reporters in New Delhi.

About former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's opposition to budget presentation, Gowda said, "Let there be no discussion on this (topic), the budget will be presented, the matter ends," PTI reported.

He is in Delhi to attend the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, of which he is a member.

Siddaramaiah's video

Earlier, a video showing Siddaramaiah, who is also the chairman of Congress-JD(S) coordination committee, purportedly expressing doubts about the longevity of the coalition government had surfaced on Tuesday, adding to the strains in the coalition.

The video had surfaced, two days after another video clip purportedly showing Siddaramiah expressing his displeasure to a few Congress MLAs over the presentation of a fresh budget had emerged.

Siddaramaiah had recently said there was no need for a fresh budget and had insisted that a supplementary budget would do.

JD(S)-Congress coalition government will last 5 years, says Karnataka deputy CM

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara said on Wednesday that said the coalition government with the JD(S) would complete its full five-year term and what others were talking outside was 'irrelevant'. "As president (of state Congress) I am issuing this clarification that we have agreed to run this government for five years. What others are talking outside is irrelevant," he said while talking to reporters in Koppal.

"Outsiders talk in a different way. For political reasons, they say that this government will run for only one year. Some say two years," Parameshwara added. 

He further said that there was no confusion about the longevity of the government.

(With PTI inputs)