Siddu denied CM post earlier, thanks to Kumaraswamy

Bangalore, July 31: It was in the air, but has come out clean now, after JD(S) State President-H D Kumaraswamy-admitted that it was because of him that current

of Karnataka-

was denied the post twice in 1996 and 2004.

Siddaramaiah, disappointed by his former mentor H D Deve Gowda for favouring his son, left the JD(S) and joined Congress.

Piled-up emotions vented out from both the sides in the Assembly held for budget.

"Yes, it is true that I prevented Siddaramaiah from becoming the CM (in 2004). He insulted me in New Delhi when I was an MP. I did it for the existence of the Janata Dal," said Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy also dragged the chief notches of the country's politics like Sonia Gandhi, saying," Sonia Gandhi knew what happened in the meeting with H D Deve Gowda and that no party had gained a majority win to form the government and the Congress-JD(S) coalition with Siddaramaiah as deputy CM took charge in 2004," he said.

To answer to this, the CM added,"I do not want to talk politics but now I am forced to reply. Let there be a public debate on it. In 1996, Revanna (Kumaraswamy's elder brother) took signatures of over 87 MLAs to make me CM and he was in tears when it did not happen. I am a witness to all those developments."

Kumaraswamy, however, had another story to tell. He hustified his stance saying, "I know what happened in the meeting at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi which Gowda, Siddaramaiah and J H Patel attended. I have never backstabbed anybody. Whatever I did was in the interest of my party."

Reacting to this, Siddaramaiah said,"I along with other leaders, including R L Jalappa made Deve Gowda the CM (in 1994). Initially, I was reluctant to accept the DyCM post. But I agreed only after all senior Janata Dal leaders like Deve Gowda, Patel, S R Bommai, Ramakrishna Hegde, M C Nanaiah, C Byre Gowda and Madhu Dandavate prevailed upon me. Sometimes telling truth is not liked by many."

Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa efforts of being the peacemaker were futile.