Poaching game on? HDK points finger at Siddu

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: In an attempt to ‘finish’ the Janata Dal (Secular) before the 2023 Assembly election, a former chief minister is trying to hijack legislators of the party by ‘brainwashing’ them, alleged former CM and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Without naming Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Kum a r a swamy said the leader concerned has been trying to destabilise his party as much as possible and is targeting legislators who are powerful in their constituencies and defeated candidates too. “This Congress leader is contacting our party MLAs and leaders and influencing them. This is being done by a former CM who is dreaming of becoming CM again. Our legislators are called repeatedly and brainwashed. One of our MLAs was contacted more than ten times and asked about his decision(on defecting to the Congress). This was disclosed by a MLA close to me who showed me the call list”, he claimed.

The JD(S) leader said that the process of ‘brainwashing’ JD(S) leaders began after his party formed the coalition government with the Congress in 2019. “The former CM is wooing our MLAs and leaders in the Old Mysuru region. I am not worried or afraid of it. We have our legislators and we have a big force of party workers. Since the Congress is facing a leadership crisis, it is targeting MLAs and leaders of other parties”.

Kumaraswamy said he did not have any objection to JD(S) leaders moving to other parties but they should not indulge in a misinformation campaign against the party. “We will try to retain them and if they don’t listen to us, they can go to any party.’’