Kumaraswamy has almost merged his JD-S with the BJP, says Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday ridiculed former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy for almost merging his JD-S with the BJP.

Meeting reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he quipped: "Kumaraswamy may choose to wear a saffron shawl or any other shawl... that is his party’s internal matter. The BJP is trying to find a political base in Mandya and in the process, I don’t know who is going to swallow whom.”

Asked about the controversy around the Hanuman flag in Mandya, he said: "They are trying to provoke innocent villagers with an intention to disturb law and order in the district. The BJP and JD-S are trying this new experiment in the district. The people of Mandya are secular and tolerant."

Replying to a query on illegal hoisting of the saffron flag, he said, “The gram panchayat had given an undertaking that they would only hoist the national flag and the Karnataka flag. The national and state flags need to be respected. People are watching every development keenly. Our government had brought an ordinance on use of Kannada on signboards but the Governor has rejected it and has asked us to get it passed in the Assembly."

Asked about door to door distribution of Hanuman flag by the BJP, he said: "No one is objecting to the distribution of Hanuma Dwaja. BJP had campaigned for the tricolour some time back, has it forgotten the tricolour already? BJP is in power in the Centre. Why can’t they bring legislation replacing tricolour with saffron flag?"

Asked if former party chief Sonia Gandhi would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Karnataka, he termed it baseless rumors.

Talking to reporters during the submission of nomination to the Teachers’ constituency elections by Congress candidate Puttanna, he said: "Our government will take care of the welfare of the teaching fraternity. We had made certain promises to teachers in our manifesto, we will fulfill all of them. I will not talk about it as the election Code of Conduct is in effect. Teachers are the intellect of our society, and vote wisely. Our candidate is experienced and will take care of your welfare."