Karnataka political biggies indulge in ‘wrist watch’ duel

The controversy raised by JD(S) state president and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who alleged that ‘socialist" Siddaramaiah had turned a capitalist and wore a Rs 70 lakh watch and a Rs 2 lakh worth spectacles, alleging that was not the way a socialist leader behave. Siddaramaiah shot back by offering to sell his watch to Kumaraswamy for Rs five lakh, but the latter rebutted saying "I am not a second-hand goods dealer."

Kumaraswamy had gone one step further by sending the photo of the watch to a Dubai outlet and collect information about the price of this Hublot watch. "It was diamond studded wrist watch and it was valued at about Rs 65,000 to Rs 70,000. Why should I lie," he asked. In reply, Siddaramaiah said that "the allegation is far from truth. Now let Kumaraswamy explain how he bought a car worth crores of rupees to his son, who is acting in Kannada cinema produced by the family. From where did the Kumaraswamy junior get all this money to spend on these two ventures?". 

The ‘wrist watch’ duel has left the two parties and its leaders away from real politicking and ensure wins to the respective parties. 

What is surprising is when the byelection to three Assembly seats of Hebbal in Bengaluru, Bidar city, the northern tip of Karnataka and Deodurg in backward Raichur, besides Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayats are due later this month the stalwarts are indulging in ‘Wrist Watch’.