Bengaluru: Ahead of zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections in Karnataka, former state chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) state president HD Kumaraswamy has initiated a war of words with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Talking to the media in Bidar, where he had gone for campaigning for Ayaz Khan, the JD(S) candidate for the byelection to the Bidar Assembly constituency, Kumaraswamy alleged that Siddaramaiah's diamond-studded watch is worth Rs 68,56,000, and with customs duty is worth Rs 70 lakh.
"I do not have anything against him wearing such expensive watch. But the CM claims he is a follower of Ram Manohar Lohia, and is a socialist. If he was a socialist, why would he wear a Rs 50 lakh watch?" asked Kumaraswamy.
He added: "In fact I have even sent the image of the same watch to Dubai, for confirming the rates of his wrist watch”. The remarks were seen as a reply to Siddaramaiah's comments about Kumaraswamy spending around Rs 60 crore on his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s debut film.
Responding to Siddaramaiah's comment that he is ready to sell the watch for Rs five or 10 lakhs and shades for Rs 50,000, Kumarswamy said: "Do I own a scrap shop. If I owned a scrap shop then I could have bought that watch for whatever value he intends to sell. Personally I do not care as to whether he wears a Rs 50 lakh watch or a Rs two crore watch, but why does the CM project he is a Lohia follower and a socialist when he has such expensive taste?"
Kumaraswamy added that the Karanataka CM has left wearing the sunglasses which is worth Rs one lakh.
Siddaramaiah had left the Janata Dal (Secular) in 2007 to join the Congress.
