BJP puts Kumaraswamy in the line of fire over "mercy" remarks

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today came under attack from BJP over his remark that he was at the "mercy" of Congress and not the people of state, with the saffron party saying he was "deriding" his own people and lying prostrate at the feet of the Gandhi family.

Slamming the remarks, BJP said it was "the most brazen admission ever" and asked Kumaraswamy if he would compromise the interests of Kannadigas to retain power and accused him of being "Chief Manager (CM)" of the Congress's ATM in the state.

Karnataka BJP said Kumaraswamy's remarks proved "he cares two hoots to six crore people of Karnataka" and added that a democratically elected Chief Minister should not have stooped so low.

The BJP's attack on the JD(S) leader came a day after his comments in Bengaluru that he was at the 'mercy' of the Congress and not the people of Karnataka as his government had not received the full mandate, which his party had sought in the recently held Assembly elections in the state.

"Nothing can be sadder than this. This is absolutely demeaning to the democratic fabric of the country and akin to an abuse of India's democracy," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in Delhi.

Patra said "The Congress has found a new manager for its ATM in Karnataka. We can say this after his (Kumaraswamy's) statement. People are asking who is their chief minister."
BJP's IT cell chief chief Amit Malviya termed the remarks as "the most brazen admission ever."
As his remarks drew flak from BJP, Kumaraswamy saidhe did not mean that he was obligated only to the Congress