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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Police arrested Kejriwal's aide at same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard: Atishi
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Minister Atishi alleged on Saturday that the city police arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard in court.
Kumar was arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal, officials said.
He was picked up from the chief minister's residence by a Delhi Police team around noon, a senior officer said.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi said Kumar had filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the Tis Hazari court.
Kumar was picked up for questioning by the Delhi Police around 11 am. As soon as he was taken for questioning, news channels started saying he had been arrested, she claimed.
"This shows the BJP's conspiracy. Their intention is to disturb our election campaign and Arvind Kejriwal," she said.
Atishi said the Tis Hazari court considered Kumar's matter urgent and agreed to hear his plea on Saturday itself.
"The court commenced hearing on his plea at 3:55 pm and within 20 minutes, the Delhi Police arrested him at the Civil Lines police station. As soon as his lawyers began arguments, the police learnt that their case is weak and Kumar would get relief. So they arrested Kumar," she claimed.
Atishi alleged that when the court was dictating its order on the matter at 4:55 pm, the Delhi Police lawyer appeared through videoconferencing and said Kumar had already been arrested.
Kumar's anticipatory bail plea has become "infructuous" as he has been arrested, the court observed.
The chief minister's aide, accused of assaulting Maliwal on May 13 at Kejriwal's residence, was arrested two days after an FIR was registered against him at the Civil Lines police station.
Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Anuj Tyagi, while dictating the order to the court staff on the anticipatory bail plea, noted that Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Kumar Srivastava appeared through videoconferencing around 4:45 pm and informed the court that Kumar had already been arrested.
Atishi said, "Even they knew that their case was weak and if the case was heard, Bibhav Kumar would get bail. That is why tomorrow (Sunday) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will lead all AAP leaders and to the BJP headquarters and court arrest."
Kejriwal said he and other AAP leaders would go to the BJP headquarters on Sunday "so that the prime minister can send anyone he wants to jail".
The BJP is saying they would send AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj to jail, he claimed at a press briefing, hours after Kumar was arrested.
