Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka, denied rumours of an upcoming change in the government’s leadership and reiterated that the BJP leadership had given him a “free hand”.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, when asked directly if he will be replaced, he responded, “Nothing is there.”
Mr. Bommai, the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka, said when asked how his predecessor BS Yediyurappa was dismissed from his position as Chief Minister without giving notice: “Every day is not a Sunday. High command has given me a free hand”.
Mr. Bommai, who was called Mr. Yediyurappa’s “puppet” by the opposition, claimed to “draw inspiration” from the former chief minister but refuted claims that the senior figure meddles in “day-to-day affairs” of government.
“I take inspiration from BS Yediyurappa, his programme. He is a mass leader. His role is to help me govern. Yediyurappa does not interfere in my day-to-day affairs,” said Mr Bommai.
Despite the BJP officially announcing that Mr. Bommai will lead the party in the state’s assembly elections the following year, rumours regarding a change of guard in Karnataka have persisted.
Mr. Bommai, 62, appeared to defend the growing communal unrest in the state, which is being driven by Hindutva organisations, and blamed it on what he saw as a wave of attacks against Hindutva activists under the previous Congress administration. He said this caused “uneasiness and anger in society”.
The Chief Minister, who described himself as an “umpire,” threatened to take action against anyone who tries to undermine law and order.
‘Do you expect nothing to happen after so many killings? My role is that of an umpire. I will visit the home of Muslim victim soon,” he said.
Justifying the anti-conversion law introduced by his government, the Chief Minister said, “‘Large-scale illegal conversions are taking place in the state. Even my MLA’s mother was converted to Christianity,” he said.
Mr. Bommai also supported KS Eshwarappa, a former minister who had to resign when a contractor killed himself accusing him of corruption.
Source: NDTV
