Became finance minister first time at Deve Gowda's insistence: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who recently presented his record 17th Budget as the state's finance minister, recalled on Tuesday that he first took on the responsibility in 1994 at the insistence of then CM H D Deve Gowda.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, he said that if he had not accepted the responsibility then, he wouldn't have presented the record number of budgets.
"Deve Gowda was the chief minister. I asked for the Revenue Department during the meeting at senior leader R L Jalappa's office at his medical college.... But Jalappa said he wanted the Revenue portfolio, so that department went to him. When I asked what would be given to me, Gowda said to take the Finance Department. I told him I didn't want Finance, but Gowda insisted, saying that they wanted a trusted person," Siddaramaiah said.
He said, "I did not know economics, nor had I studied it, so I said I didn't want that department. But Gowda forcefully gave that portfolio to me."
At this point, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, quipped that Gowda might have had farsightedness. "Since you (Siddaramaiah) became finance minister then, today you have presented 17 budgets. If not, I'm not sure what would have happened....you should thank him (Gowda) for it."
Siddaramaiah replied to Ashoka, saying, "If not then, he would never have become (the finance minister)."
The issue arose as Ashoka, while comparing the first Budget presented by Siddaramaiah for 1995-96 to the one presented by him last week said, "it (the first budget) had weight....there is nothing in this budget compared to it."
Noting that Siddaramaiah himself previously stated that he faced criticism when he first became the finance minister with comments like, "How can a person who cannot count a hundred sheep present a state budget?", Ashoka said, "It was Gowda who made such a person the finance minister."
Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba (shepherd) community.
Siddaramaiah's relationship with JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda is now considered as "friends-turned-foes" in Karnataka's political circles, after the former was thrown out of the JD(S) in 2005 for anti-party activities.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
