Karnataka: BJP leader's flip-flop

If the Janata Dal-Secular was looking for an issue to avoid transferring power to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then Sriramulu is the man they ought to thank.

Sriramulu, BJP leader who is also the tourism minister for the state of Karntaka, had alleged that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had tried to kill him, following which the outburst from the JD-S began and they said that unless Sriramulu apologises there could be no transfer of power.

In the midst of all this chaos, two very interesting things have cropped up.

First and foremost, Sriramulu now denies having made any such allegations. Next, the complaint that everyone is talking about against the CM does not seem to exist.

On the demand by JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda that an apology ought to be tendered, Sriramulu asked, "Why should I apologise? I have not made any allegation to apologise. All I said was there were certain atrocities being committed against some BJP leaders in Bellary. Moreover, these atrocities were being committed in the name of the chief minister. That is all I said."

On the complaint against the chief minister alleged to be filed by Sriramulu, the police too question, "Where is the complaint?"

Superintendent of Police, Bellary, Amrut Patel when contacted said that he had not received any such complaint from Sriramulu.

"We have received only a petition against Kumaraswamy and others for which the police had issued a receipt," he said.

As per law, it is mandatory that the police register an FIR when a complaint of attempt to murder is made.

When there is no complaint, where is the question of lodging an FIR, Patel questioned.

The chief minister is however in no mood to buy the story.

He says that Sriramulu has several times in the past made such allegations and then retracted from his statements.

Terming the allegation as an unforgettable gift given by his partners, the CM maintained that he is hurt.

"Why is the BJP not acting against Sriramulu? As partners in the government, they ought not to ignore this issue," Kumaraswamy said.