Disgruntled Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad, who failed to find a berth in the State cabinet, on Saturday made a snide remark against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a meeting of the Billava-Idiga community, to which he belongs, setting off a buzz in political circles.
Mr. Hariprasad said they had supported Mr. Siddaramaiah in 2013 with the view that all Other Backward Classes (OBC) should unite to gain power, but alleged that the community had been losing opportunities as it seems to be falling prey to “some conspiracy.”
Referring to him not being made a Minister, Mr. Hariprasad said he would never go asking for a post for himself. He further said that he had played a key role in “making” five Chief Ministers in the country and tauntingly said he also knew “how to bring down a Chief Minister.”
‘Didn’t know of camera’
As his remarks drew the ire of many of his party colleagues, Mr. Hariprasad refused to backtrack. “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 media persons later in the day.
Senior Minister M.B. Patil sought to play down the remarks and said the Congress never betrayed any community and it was the only party that took along every community. “Any grievances should be discussed inside the party and they will be addressed,” he said.
Another Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, a close associate of Mr. Siddaramaiah, hit back at Mr. Hariprasad and said neither he nor Mr. Hariprasad could make or bring down the Chief Minister. “In our party, the high command decides who becomes the Chief Minister,” he said.
Meanwhile, many BJP leaders taunted Congress leaders and said it showed the deep differences in the party.
