On Friday (July 21), senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad issued veiled threats to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah after being denied a Ministerial position in the State Cabinet.
While speaking to members of the ‘Ediga’ community at a hotel in Bengaluru, Hariprasad warned that he knew how to make a Chief Minister and dislodge someone from the same position when required.
“I had played a role in making the CMs in Goa, Pondicherry and Jharkhand (with my own efforts), in Haryana and Punjab along with the AICC leaders. I had made Bhupesh Bhaghel in Chhattisgarh who has been chief minister for six long years. So, I am well versed in making CM and making one step down,” he was heard saying.
BK Hariprasad, who is believed to be close to Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, also lamented how his community (Ediga) as well as Billava and Deevara were being sidelined from the State’s electoral politics.
“It makes us wonder whether they are becoming victims of conspiracy. We supported Siddaramaiah in 2013 with the intention of getting united. We had asked for a Rs 5 crore grant for Koti Channayya Park in Karkala, Udupi district. Siddaramaiah had promised to provide funds. But, to date, they have not been granted,” he emphasised.
“We are in a deciding position in about 11 assembly seats. But four aspirants from our communities missed tickets to make way for candidates from minorities,” the Congress MLC was heard saying.
Congress leader Zameer hits out at Hariprasad
After Hariprasad’s statement resulted in talks about possible infighting within the Congress, party leader Zameer Ahmed Khan announced that only Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi would decide on the Chief Ministerial candidate.
“One-upmanship will not work out in the Congress party. CM selection cannot be done by people like me, Hariprasad and Bandisiddegowda or Babanna. We have high command and our leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will take a call,” he said.
In the meantime, BK Hariprasad said that he was not aware of the presence of cameras and that his speech was being recorded. “I stand by what I said. I have never retracted my statements. I did not know there were cameras at the event and so I spoke freely,” he told the media.