On The Defensive, Day One: Kumaraswamy Says He Is Not Confident Of Running The Government Smoothly

Casting doubts over the stability of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in Karnataka just hours ahead of taking oath as the new Chief Minister of the state, H D Kumaraswamy has said that he not confident of running the coalition government smoothly, Hindustan Times has reported.

“People also have doubts, not only me, people in the state also have doubt whether this government will function smoothly. But I have belief that with the grace of Sharadambe and Sringeri jagadguru (Shankaracharya) everything will go smoothly,” the Chief minister-designate was quoted by the daily as saying.

Talking to reporters late on Tuesday in Sringeri, the place where Adi Shankaracharya established his first matha, Kumaraswamy said that it would a “big challenge” for him to run the government.

“This is a big challenge in my life. I’m not expecting that I will be able to fulfil my responsibilities as chief minister easily,” he said.

Kumaraswamy’s statement comes a day after Congress leader D K Shivakumar said that the longevity of the coalition government in Karnataka will depend on Kumaraswamy’s ‘cooperation’.

“We have to co-exist to so that the government runs smoothly. If we want to reap fruits, Kumaraswamy and I have to work together. If he sits on power and doesn’t cooperate, it will not work out,” he said in an interview with the Deccan Herald.

Responding to a question on his two-decade-long feud with Kumaraswamy, he had accused the JD(S) leader of being an “egoistic man”.