Karnataka political crisis: Siddaramaiah cautions media over ‘fake news’; says rebels trying to 'shift blame'

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday (July 25) rubbished reports stating that he had instigated the rebels to resign and destabilise the Karnataka coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy.

Siddaramaiah cautioned media houses against peddling "false news" and said that he would give them a befitting reply if they repeat the allegation in front of him.

In a series of tweets, the Congress strongman in Karnataka said the rebels were trying to "shift the blame on me but the facts would surface once the dust settles."

"Media houses are reporting that few rebel MLAs have claimed that I instigated them to resign and destabilise our government. This is nothing but a false allegation with malafide intention. I will give them a befitting reply if they repeat the same in front of me," Siddaramaiah said.

Media houses are reporting that few rebel MLAs have claimed that I instigated them to resign & destabilize our govt. This is nothing but a false allegation with malafide intension.

I will give them a befitting reply if they repeat the same in front of me.
1/3@INCKarnataka

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 25, 2019

He said, "The rebel MLAs are trying to shift the blame on me after widespread public backlash against them for betraying and back-stabbing both the electorate and the party. Everything will be clear when the dust settles but by then they would have bitten the dust."

Rebel MLAs are trying to shift the blame on me after wide spread public backlash against them for betraying & back-stabbing both the electorate & the party.

Everything will be clear when the dust settles but by then they would have bitten the dust.
2/3@INCKarnataka

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 25, 2019

Recalling his days as chief minister, Siddaramaiah said there were many baseless allegations against him — "a venom he digested to serve people with good intent."

"Time will answer everything! Satyameva Jayathe!!" Siddaramaiah said.

There were numerous baseless allegations on me even when I was @CMofKarnataka. This is not the first & will not be the last but I have digested this venom to serve people with good intent.

Time will answer everything!!

Satyameva Jayathe!!
3/3@INCKarnataka

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 25, 2019

As the coordination committee chairman of the coalition government, Siddaramaiah was charged with not letting the JD(S) and the Congress state presidents to be part of the penal led by him.

The JD(S) state president-turned-rebel MLA AH Vishwanath had been targeting Siddaramaiah for not bringing out the common minimum programme as agreed upon by the two parties at the time of forming the coalition government.

Vishwanath had also charged him with betraying JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda by making him trust the Congress during the Lok Sabha election and then working for his defeat from the Tumkur constituency at the fag end of his political career at the age of 87.

Siddaramaiah took to Twitter on Tuesday (July 23) minutes after the Congress-JD(S) government lost the trust vote to state that "I would like to reaffirm that those who have fallen for Operation Kamala will never be inducted back to our party. Even if the sky is falling down!!@INCKarnataka."

I would like to reaffirm that those who have fallen for Operation Kamala will never be inducted back to our party.

Even if the sky is falling down!!@INCKarnataka

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 23, 2019