Govt will complete full term, says Kumaraswamy after son speaks of polls
Bengaluru, Jun 7: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday said the coalition government headed by him would complete its five-year term and any talk of mid-term polls now is "irrelevant".
His comments came as a video of his son Nikhil asking JD(S) workers to get ready for assembly polls doing rounds on social media.
"Nikhil Kumaraswamy cheering up party workers has told them that they should always be ready to serve the society. Not only during elections, they should always keep the party in a state of activeness so as to win the election whenever it comes. This statement of his has been quoted out of context by the media to represent that there may be election anytime," H D Kumaraswamy said in a statement.
He said, "The coalition government will successfully complete its five-year term. Any talk of mid-term polls now is irrelevant."
In an indication of lack of trust between coalition partners the JD(S) and the Congress, the video purportedly showed Nikhil asking JD(S) workers to prepare themselves for assembly poll, saying one doesn't know when it would come.
However, he also said there was no threat to the government and his father would complete the tenure.
"We need to start now only. We should not say we will do it later. We have to prepare from the next month onwards. We don't know when it (election) comes, next year, after two years or three years. JD(S) leaders should be ready," the video showed Nikhil telling party workers.
"There is no problem to the government. It will complete (its tenure). You get tensed due to the reports in media. It is not like that. We know what is there inside (government). Nothing will happen. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) will run (the government) for the next four years too," he had said.
Nikhil lost the Lok Sabha poll from Mandya to BJP-backed Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh. His remarks to JD(S) workers had gained significance amid coalition woes and threat of instability.
Congress and JD(S) leaders are making all efforts to save the government, with even plans of cabinet expansion, fearing the BJP might revive efforts to topple it encouraged by the spectacular win in the Lok Sabha polls in which it won 25 of the 28 seats in the state.
The coalition partners had won only one seat each.
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Late flourish masks CSK’s batting woes on lively Chepauk track, hosts post 158/7
Chennai (PTI): Bowlers calling the shots in a format dominated by big hitters is a rarity, but that script played out at Chepauk on Sunday as Gujarat Titans exploited a lively, bounce-friendly surface to stifle Chennai Super Kings before the hosts managed a late flourish to reach 158 for 7.
On a pitch that offered sharp carry, stroke-making demanded discretion and adaptability. Instead, CSK’s batters often opted for high-risk shots without fully assessing conditions, and paid the price with a flurry of miscued dismissals.
Invited to bat, CSK never quite found rhythm but skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s maiden half-century (74 not out) of the current IPL season lent a semblance of respectability to the total in a season where 200-plus scores have become commonplace.
Gaikwad's knock came off 60 balls with six fours and four sixes after a laboured start.
The tone was set early by GT pacer Mohammed Siraj, who extracted steep bounce and forced errors.
Sanju Samson (11) began watchfully, negotiating the first over before opening up against Kagiso Rabada to bring up his 5000 IPL runs milestone. However, Rabada’s bounce soon accounted for him as a hard slash outside off resulted in a faint edge that Jos Buttler pouched safely.
The dismissal triggered a collapse. Urvil Patel (4) fell in the same Rabada over attempting an ambitious pull, while Sarfaraz Khan (0) succumbed to Siraj’s extra lift, mistiming a short ball to offer a simple catch.
At 28 for 3 inside the Powerplay, CSK were already in trouble.
Gaikwad and Dewald Brevis (2) needed to rebuild, but the latter’s impatience against spinner Manav Suthar led to his downfall, holing out after failing to get to the pitch of the ball.
The mounting wickets forced Gaikwad into a shell — an approach that, while understandable, further stalled the momentum. His reluctance to improvise allowed dot balls to pile up, with CSK reaching 50 only in the 12th over.
The skipper eventually broke free, taking on Arshad Khan and Jason Holder with a couple of towering sixes, but the acceleration came too late.
Shivam Dube, dropped thrice on 6, 11 and 22, struggled for fluency before Arshad cleaned him up.
Kartik Sharma (15) and Jamie Overton (18) provided late impetus with a few lusty hits, but the damage had already been done.
On a pitch that rewarded discipline and smart shot selection, Titans' bowlers executed their plans to perfection, while CSK’s batters failed to read the conditions in time, a lapse that ultimately defined the innings.
