JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday said 2024 will herald an era of a new change in Karnataka politics and his party and the BJP will again form a government in the state in the future, as in 2006.
The former Chief Minister was speaking at a public meeting here after veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa’s son and sitting MP B Y Raghavendra filed his nomination as candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment.
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“The reason for me to come here (Shivamogga) — is when I formed the government in 2006, Yediyurappa joined hands with me and because of that Kumaraswamy got introduced to the entire state. I should have given him 20 months of power, (after my 20 months as CM), and I was ready for it, but because of some middlemen it did not happen, and because of that I had to suffer for 15-16 years,” Kumaraswamy said.
Addressing the gathering, he said, “if people across the state identify me, it is because of the good government both Yediyurappa and I gave together. You cannot probably see such a good administration again.”
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“In the coming days — the good government that I and Yediyurappa gave in 2006 — to establish such a government once again, this year itself — 2024 will herald an era of a new change,” he said, as he appealed people of Shivamogga to support and vote for Raghavendra.
In 2006, Kumaraswamy had rebelled and walked out of the JD(S)-Congress coalition with 42 MLAs, reportedly against the wishes of his father former PM and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda, citing a threat to the party, and formed the government with the BJP, becoming the Chief Minister during his very first term as MLA. Yediyurappa was the Deputy Chief Minister.
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Under a rotational chief ministership arrangement, he helmed the state for 20 months.
When the BJP’s turn for Chief Ministership came, he reneged on the promise to transfer power and brought down the Yediyurappa government within seven days.
Kumaraswamy occupied the Chief Minister’s post for the second time after the 2018 Assembly polls, despite the JD(S) finishing a poor third in the polls, by forging a coalition with the Congress.
But his tenure was short-lived as the wobbly coalition government that he headed collapsed after 13 months in power, because of internal differences.
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