Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S. Bommai created a flutter on Wednesday when he referred to BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy as a “freelance politician”.
Uncharacteristically for BJP leaders, Swamy has been openly critical of the Narendra Modi government's conduct of foreign and economic policies. Swamy had also found fault with the BJP state government in Uttarakhand over the issue of control of temples.
Speaking at a debate in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday, Bommai said, "You know well about Subramanian Swamy. Whichever party he is in, he is like a freelance politician. He says whatever comes to his mind. Based on his analysis, he keeps saying things."
Bommai added Swamy had been critical of the erstwhile Janata Dal. "While being in the government, he spoke against the then prime minister Chandrashekhar. It is the character and forte of Subramanian Swamy," Bommai noted. Bommai commented on Swamy after leader of opposition Siddaramaiah quoted a tweet by Swamy from February that compared the high price of petrol in India with those in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
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As is his wont, Swamy responded to Bommai's comments strongly by declaring he did not rise in politics by bootlicking. Swamy tweeted on Thursday, "I did not become six term MP[3 in LS] and twice in Minister rank by boot-licking but by propagating the truth essential for a vibrant democracy."
Swamy also pointed out that he was "never a member of the Janata Dal”. Swamy tweeted, "... As President of Janata Party [1989-2013] I merged it with BJP which came out of Janata Party [2013]."
