Will become Karnataka CM again before 2028, says HD Kumaraswamy

He said that the current government led by Siddaramaiah in Karnataka won't last until 2028.

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, son of JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda, declared that he would become Karnataka’s Chief Minister again before 2028. He also predicted the fall of the current Congress government, citing internal dissatisfaction within the party.

JD-S leader HD Kumaraswamy (ANI)

As reported by PTI, he said "It is certain that this government won't last until 2028," he stated.

I am confident that the people will give me another opportunity, and I will become Chief Minister again," the Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries told reporters here. Kumaraswamy headed the coalition government twice as Chief Minister -- from February 2006 to October 2007 and from May 2018 to July 2019.

"The opportunity to become CM will come before 2028. I am not a fortune-teller, but I am saying this," he added. He reposed faith in the people who would help realise his dream. "If the people wish, why shouldn't I become the Chief Minister? Even now, I am appealing to the people to give me a five-year term as Chief Minister," the JD(S) second-in-command said.

He rued that his previous stint as Chief Minister of Karnataka for 14 months was under 'someone else's influence'. "Even though the government was run under another party’s influence, the people have not forgotten the pro-people programmes we implemented."

The Minister said if given an opportunity, he will do excellent work and no family should have to beg for survival. Kumaraswamy alleged that money is being looted in the state and the government assets are being seized. If this is stopped, the government can implement programmes where people earn at least ₹10,000 instead of receiving just ₹2,000 from the government. He also predicted the fall of the Congress government in the state.

‘Dissatisfaction among Congress MLAs’

According to him, the squabbling would lead to its collapse. "The Congress government here won't last longer. The people of the state and the MLAs of that party will be the ones to topple it," the Minister said. Kumaraswamy claimed that there is a growing dissatisfaction among the Congress MLAs. "We don’t know when it will explode, but let’s wait and watch," he added.

Kumaraswamy, however, clarified that the unified opposition of BJP and the JD(S) were not trying to topple their government. "It's their MLAs who are destabilising the foundation of this government." Due to the government's lack of allocation of funds for development, MLAs are unable to visit villages and meet the people, he pointed out.

(With PTI inputs)