Chennai: In a major embarrassment to the ruling BJP in Karnataka, the state Law Minister JC Madhuswamy in a purported audio leak was found saying "We are not running the government but just managing it". Following the audio, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai tried to do damage control and said that the Minister made the statement in a "different context".
It all started after a purported phone conversation between state’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy and a Channapatna-based social worker Bhaskar went viral on social media. In the audio, Madhuswamy was heard saying that they are just managing the government and not running it.
In the audio, Madhuswamy said, "We are not running a government here, we are just managing, pulling through for the next 7-8 months."
He was also heard saying that that Cooperation Minister Somashekar was not taking action.
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On Tuesday, Bommai said, "Madhuswamy said it in a different context so I'll talk to him. It was a different context so it should not be taken in a wrong sense."
He also said that he will talk to the cabinet members who are upset with the statement.
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Meanwhile, 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."
The comment has also received flak from BJP members including some other Ministers. BJP's Horticulture Minister Munirathna said that Madhuswamy should resign from his post immediately.
Minister Munirathna has said, Madhuswamy should resign from the Ministry immediately, before making such a statement.
"He is part of the government and is participating in every matter at the cabinet, so he also has a share in it... being in a responsible position and making such statements is not right, it is not befitting to his seniority," he said.
(With PTI inputs)