New Delhi: A Karnataka minister’s alleged remarks – “we aren’t running the government, we are somehow managing it” – heard in a leaked audio clip has caused embarrassment to the Basavaraj Bommai government.
On Tuesday, the chief minister said that the state’s law and parliamentary affairs minister J.C. Madhuswamy made the comments in a “different context”. Bommai also said that he will talk to other ministers, who are apparently upset over the remarks and have openly expressed their displeasure against Madhuswamy.
Horticulture minister Munirathna even asked Madhuswamy to quit the ministry.
NDTV has reported that the comments have fuelled speculation on Bommai’s replacement on account of growing dissatisfaction.
“He (Madhuswamy) had said in a different context. I will talk to him. The context was different, so there is no need to take it in a wrong sense. He had spoken specifically with respect to some cooperative related issue. Things are fine, there is no problem,” Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru today.
When told that several of his cabinet colleagues are upset and are criticising Madhuswamy, he said, “I will talk to all of them…..”
A recorded clip of what is being claimed as a phone conversation between Madhuswamy and Bhaskar, a Channapatna-based social worker, was circulated on Saturday, August 13.
“We are not running a government here, we are just managing, pulling through for the next 7-8 months,” Madhuswamy can be heard telling Bhaskar in response to his complaints against a cooperative bank, with respect to farmers’ issues.
In the purported phone conversation, while responding to the social worker’s complaint, the minister can be heard even expressing “helplessness” over cooperation minister S.T. Somashekar’s “inaction”.
“I know these issues. I’ve brought this to the notice of Somashekhar. He is not taking action. What to do?” Madhuswamy allegedly can be heard saying.
Somashekar has hit out at Madhuswamy over his comments, saying, “He (Madhuswamy) feels that he is the only intelligent person, he has to remove it from his head first.”
(With PTI inputs)