Karnataka Congress hits back at ex-ally Kumaraswamy for linking horse-trading to party

A day after Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that the language of 'horse-trading' was born from the Congress, Karnataka Congress rebutted the same and brought up their erstwhile coalition government in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister ran a coalition government in the state with Congress from 2018, till the alliance fell apart the next year after BJP engineered defections from both parties.

"Was Kumaraswamy himself so innocent to know the difference between the other party legislators joining the ruling party and abusing the constitutional institutions and dismantling the elected government through Operation Lotus?" Karnataka Congress tweeted in Kannada.

"When you have an alliance with the Congress party and sit on the chair of the Chief Minister, do you feel that the morality of the Congress is good? What is the moral of your party that is invisible while in a state is under distress?" it further said, referring to the Coronavirus crisis in Rajasthan.

 

The 14-month-old Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka had fallen after it was defeated on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly with about 20 MLAs of the ruling coalition defying their party whips and absenting from voting on the confidence motion. BJP's BS Yediyurappa was later sworn in as Chief Minister.

READ | 'Horse-trading Was Born From Congress': Kumaraswamy Slams Ex-ally Over Rajasthan Crisis

READ | BSP Issues Whip To 6 MLAs To Vote Against Gehlot In Rajasthan Assembly Ahead Of Trust Vote

Language of 'horse-trading' was born from the Congress: Kumaraswamy

Kumaraswamy reminded Congress of how it broke the JDS in the past by making a big buzz about legislators' purchase. He sought answers from the party reminding them that during the time of SM Krishna's Congress government, they bought the MLAs.

"During the Congress-JDS government of 2004, this same Congress was trying to attract our legislators. Realizing this, I had to make a rapid political revolution. Congress is an expert in the process of breaking up parties and buying legislators. The language of the 'horse-trading' was born from the Congress," Kumaraswamy wrote in Kannada on Twitter.

Rajasthan's Congress government fell into turmoil after simmering differences between and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his ousted deputy Sachin Pilot came out in the open. The Congress has accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP and the Pilot camp have rejected the allegations.

(With ANI inputs)

READ | Rajasthan Govt Crisis LIVE Updates: Guv Returns CM's Proposal; Pilot Wishes New PCC Chief

READ | Mayawati Threatens To Drag Rajasthan CM Gehlot To Court If 6 BSP MLAs Vote For Congress