A rift appeared to have developed between coalition partners Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) on Monday as former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed JD(S) leader Vishwanath for the latter’s questioning of the Congress leader’s governance.

A day after Vishwanath raised questions on Siddaramaiah’s administration, the Congress leader tweeted that he will raise the “jealous statement” with the coordination committee.

“I would raise the jealous statement by Vishwanath in the coordination committee. Earlier it was G T Deve Gowda (higher education minister) and now Vishwanath. Don’t know who is the next? It is better if seniors in JD(S) take note of it,” Siddaramaiah tweeted in Kannada on Monday.

He said “coalition dharma” was preventing him from speaking openly against “irresponsible” remarks of Vishwanath.

“It is the coalition dharma which is stopping me. Vishwanath is notorious for his mischievous statements. May God give him wisdom,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Siddaramaiah also said that he is proud to be the “Chief Minister who has fulfilled all the promises made in the election manifesto”.

Vishwanth’s comments came in response to certain sections within the Congress demanding that Siddaramaiah be made the CM.

“What is so special (about Siddaramaiah rule), was his administration greater than (Congress leader) Devaraj Urs’? People remember Devaraj Urs even today after 30 years. What great administration happened (during Siddaramaiah) to remember it for decades? What major developmental work happened? Nothing…,” Vishwanath had said Sunday.

On Monday, he said that the “coordination committee has been formed for coalition dharma”.

“Do discuss in the coordination committee. You are the chairman there. Who has stopped you from saying in the coordination committee that you want to be the chief minister,” he told reporters.

“Congress leaders must stop their mischievous attitude. They must stop trying to sabotage coalition government. They can do all this politics in 2022; this isn’t the time. We had brought Siddaramaiah to Congress. We created situation that made him the CM,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara, who is from the Congress, said that Vishwanath should refrain from making such comments against Siddaramaiah in future.

The BJP, on the other hand, found a new opportunity to attack the coalition. BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa said that Vishwanath’s comments reflected Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s thoughts.

The BJP, meanwhile, wrote to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer accusing Congress leader DK Shivakumar of distributing cash to the voters and leaders at Kundagola.

The party alleged that officials are supporting Shivakumar since he is a sitting minister.