Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has heaped praises on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that she has all the capabilities to lead the country. “Mamata ji did a great job in organising the rally. She had even requested the Left to join her. This shows her generosity in her tactics in fighting the BJP government. She is ready to make compromises to take our fight to the next level”, said Kumaraswamy.
Attacking PM Modi Kumaraswamy said that people are disappointed with the administration of Modi. He said, “According to me, deciding on the leadership is not a criterion to win the polls. People of the country are totally disappointed with the administration of Narendra Modi”.
He called Mamata Banerjee a very good administrator. “She (Mamata) is simplest of the simple and a very good administrator. I believe that Mamata ji has all the capabilities of leading the country. And she has already proved herself by leading West Bengal for so many years”, he added.
Regarding the selection of the leader for opposition alliance, Kumaraswamy said, “Several states have their own problems. It is not necessary to select a leader before the elections. There are effective leaders, who can move in a big way for the development of the country. They can make headway in areas where the previous governments have failed. But we can sit and select our leader after the elections are over”.
The JD(S) leader’s comments about Mamata Banerjee is significant given the fact that several leaders in the opposition are eying the post of the Prime Minister in case the alliance comes to power. Recently, DMT leader Stalin had endorsed the name of Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, much to the disappointment of several other regional party leaders. Rahul Gandhi is hoping to be the next prime minister with the support of several regional parties, but the regional satraps harbour similar hopes for themselves and most of them are unwilling to support Rahul Gandhi’s candidature for the top post.
Kumaraswamy was recently seen complaining that he was working under tremendous pressure of ally Congress party and that Congress was interfering in the functioning of the government. He went to the extent of saying that he was not working like the Chief Minister but like a clerk.