'Kumaraswamy will tolerate things as long as he can'

Discontent within the ruling coalition in Karnataka has once again come to the fore, with senior JD(S) minister H D Revanna Friday saying his brother and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will "tolerate things as long as he can".

The PWD minister also hit out at the Congress for reportedly taking away the home department from a SC leader like G Parameshwara, who is also the deputy chief minister.

"Kumaraswamy will tolerate as long as he can, but one day what will happen? We are not sitting here fearing (about losing power)," Revanna told reporters here in response to a question about a Congressman expected to be appointed as the chief minister's political secretary.

Asked whether he was saying that the chief minister was tolerating despite Congress's 'high handedness', he tried to evade the question, saying the party leadership decides all issues and he will not interfere.

"Why should I say there is lack of coordination between JD(S) and Congress. Everything will be discussed and decided by JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda, chief minister, Congress leaders and their general secretary KC Venugopal," he added.

Revanna's remarks have come at a time when JD(S) workers and local leaders have asked the leadership to contest all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the coming parliamentary polls, unhappy over the Congress's attitude towards the ruling coalition in Karnataka.

Expressing displeasure about Parameshwara reportedly being moved out of the Home Ministry, Revanna rubbished the reports blaming him for it.

He, however, indicated that some people within the Congress party were behind it.

"I know what kind of pressure Parameshwara was under from his own party. Parameshwara is from the SC community, what (wrong) did he do as home minister? Was it necessary to remove him from the post? As deputy chief minister, he should have both," he said.

Pointing out that Parameshwara has toiled for Congress for eight years as its president and done good work as Home Minister for six months, Revanna said he has great respect for him.

"Why they (the Congress) did it? What are the reasons behind it? I don't know, but I had never interfered in his department. If any issues were there from my district I have discussed, that's all," he said.

He said if Parameshwara's party cannot tolerate a SC community leader as deputy chief minister, "What can I say?"