Bengaluru, May 12 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday alleged that there was internal conflict between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar over the conduct of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections.

He made the statement while speaking to the media in Bengaluru.

Commenting on reports that the state government was attempting to postpone the GBA elections, Kumaraswamy claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had convened a meeting of election officials in the absence of the Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and pushed for conducting the polls.

“Later, the Deputy Chief Minister (D.K. Shivakumar) convened another meeting and allegedly pressured the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) not to conduct the elections under any circumstances. Now the state government has approached the Supreme Court seeking postponement,” he alleged.

Kumaraswamy also accused the state government of citing reasons such as the census exercise to delay the elections until September.

He claimed the Chief Minister wanted the elections to be held to strengthen his political position for the next six months, while the Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar feared that conducting the polls could weaken his own prospects of securing the Chief Minister’s post.

“One side wants elections to save the Chief Minister’s chair, while the other wants postponement to eventually capture the Chief Minister’s post. There is clear conflict between the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister over the elections,” Kumaraswamy alleged.

It can be noted that regarding the Bengaluru civic body elections, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the Karnataka government was also keen on conducting the polls at the earliest, but procedural issues needed to be corrected first.

“We also want the elections to be held early. However, if there are mistakes in the process, they must be rectified. Since the census work is underway, adequate workforce arrangements are also required. Conducting elections is our responsibility, and it will be done,” he added.

The Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking a 90-day extension to conduct the long-delayed Bengaluru civic polls.

The move comes just days after State Election Commissioner G.S. Sangreshi had asserted that the elections for the five corporations under the GBA would be held between June 14 and June 24.

–IANS

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