Bengaluru: In an interesting turn of events, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and state’s former chief minister Siddaramaiah, both of whom were put up in the same hotel in Kundagol, for the purposes of Assembly by-poll campaigning, did not meet each other, leading to the speculations that all’s not well between the two leaders.

However, Kona Reddy, the political secretary to the chief minister, told a local news channel that the chief minister did not have information about Siddaramaiah staying in the same hotel as he is.

While Reddy’s reason seems to be innocuous, there are talks doing the rounds that how can a chief minister not have the information of another VVIP in the same hotel?

Later, as Siddaramaiah left for campaigning, Kumaraswamy is said to have phoned him up in order to pacify him over the issue of JD(S) state president H Vishwanath’s outburst against him. To this, Siddaramaiah is said to have minced no words in expressing his displeasure over Vishwanath’s comments.

In Kundagol itself, Kumaraswamy had termed Siddaramaiah as his “brother” during his poll campaigning. The chief minister said that both of them were working in order to improve developmental prospects in the state.

This issue of unease stems from the fact that Vishwanath openly criticised Siddaramaiah and Siddaramaiah openly hitting back, saying Vishwanath is “jealous”.

It might be recalled that Vishwanath and Siddaramaiah have not been the best of friends. Owing to his alleged indifference, Vishwanath bid goodbye to the Congress and joined the JD(S).

Now, there are talks that the seniors in the JD(S) are orchestrating the entire issue in order to sideline Siddaramaiah and safeguard the chief minister’s chair.