Karnataka: In an embarrassment to the BJP government in Karnataka, state law minister JC Madhuswamy was caught saying, "We are not running the government, we are just managing it." His remarks were caught on a leaked audio clip. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stepped forward to do damage control saying that the comments were made in a "different context".
Madhuswamy's comments have drawn criticism from some Ministers, even prompting Horticulture Minister Munirathna to advise him to quit the Ministry. Minister Munirathna has said, Madhuswamy should resign from the Ministry immediately, before making any more statements.
A purported phone conversation between Madhuswamy and Bhaskar, a Channapatna-based social worker, had gone viral on Saturday.
"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 some 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 can be heard saying.
Bommai's damage control
CM Bommai said that he will talk to other Ministers, who are upset about the remarks made by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy and have openly expressed their displeasure against him.
"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 the wrong sense. He had spoken specifically with respect to some cooperative-related issues.
Things are fine, there is no problem," Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru.
When told that several of his cabinet colleagues are upset and are criticising Madhuswamy, he said, "I will talk to all of them."
(PTI inputs)
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