Fearing backlash in future, Karnataka CM warns Thamanna of voicing his bitterness

BENGALURU: Forty-eight hours after his relative Maddur MLA and transport minister D C Thamanna expressed his bitterness over voters in his home turf electing Mandya independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday made an effort to douse the anger which continues to be precipitated against the JD(S) in its own bastion.
In a tweet, Kumaraswamy has pulled up Thamanna for linking the Lok Sabha drubbing with the development works in the state.
“Associating election politics with the development works for the state is not right. As a public representative and a minister in the cabinet, it is our duty to work without practising partisan politics for the development of the state. This is the essence of democracy,” he said in his tweet.
The tweet comes in the wake of possible repercussion against the JD(S) in its own bastion, if the party continues to show bitterness against the voters for not voting-in Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
On June 7, Thamanna lost his cool when people requested him to solve some local problems at the inauguration of development works in Maddur. “Shame on you to seek help from us when you all have adamantly refused to support the JD(S) in the Lok Sabha election. Go and ask help from those persons whom you have supported,’’ he told them.
Not stopping at this, Thamanna asked the local leaders to bring ‘jodettu’ (pair of bullocks), referring to actors Darshan and Yash, who campaigned for Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, so they would help them. “You people don’t have the courtesy of reciprocating and acknowledging our development works by supporting us. Bring those ‘jodettu’ to Mandya and get your work done,” he had quipped.
The comments drew flak from both the opposition and the Mandya MP for continuing the bitter fight between the JD(S) and its opponents in the district, including Congress rebels, MP Sumalatha, BJP and the sandalwood actors Darshan and Yash.