Kumaraswamy flays BJP after Karnataka bypolls win, accuses it of poaching Congress-JDS MLAs

Kumaraswamy said that the Congress JDS alliance will now work towards winning all 28 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to poach their legislators, offering Rs 25 to 30 crore to each.

Speaking at a press conference following the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance's win in Karnataka by-elections, the Chief Minister said, “BJP is offering around Rs 25-30 Crore to some Congress and JD(S) MLAs but they will never be able to poach them.”

Kumaraswamy said that the winning alliance will now work in collaboration to win all 28 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

“This elections was the first step. There are 28 LS seats, we'll work with Congress to win all of them, that is our goal,” said Kumaraswamy.

“This is not an empty boast just because we have won today. This is the confidence of people in us. This win is not making us arrogant,” he added.

The Congress and JDS combine won four out of the five seats. Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha Kumaraswamy won the Ramanagara Assembly seat with a massive margin of 1,09,137 votes while Congress's Anand Nyamagouda bagged the Jamkhandi Assembly seat with a margin of 39,480 votes. 

JDS candidate LR Shivarame Gowda and Congressman VS Ugrappa bagged Mandya and Bellary Lok Sabha constituencies.

BJP retained its Shimoga LS seat where BY Raghavendra won by more a margin of over 50,000 votes. Raghavendra is former Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly BS Yeddyurappa's son.

“I congratulate Congress leaders in the state and at the Centre. I also congratulate JDS state leaders and workers who worked towards this win. BJP calls JDS-Congress coalition 'Apavitra Maitri', today that contention has been nullified,” said Kumaraswamy.

Commenting on the recent row over Tipu Jayanti, he added, “I never said do or don't celebrate Tipu Jayanti. All I had said was there are many communities in the country, people want to celebrate Jayantis of their leaders. If they (BJP) don't like to be part of the celebrations, there is no need to participate.”

The state government has given its consent to hold Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Karnataka. However, no one will be allowed to hold processions on the occasion.  

With agency inputs