Bangalore:
There is clearly no let-up in hostilities between Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and his predecessor HD Kumaraswamy. They have hurled many allegations of corruption at each other - even challenging each other to take an oath of truth at a temple. The latest move is an indefinite fast planned by Kumaraswamy, who is angered by the BJP's allegation that he amassed illegal wealth worth 1500 crores.
Mr Kumaraswamy, the son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was contractor for civil works for the state's Public Works Department (PWD) before joining politics as Congress party member.
The assets, listed in a booklet made public by BJP on June 28 here, include land, commercial and residential properties and several companies run by the family members -- mainly by the sons and daughters-in-law.
The booklet, "Amassing wealth by corrupt practices: A tell-tale story of HD Kumaraswamy and family", was released to counter his charges against Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
Mr Deve Gowda, who heads the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), and Mr Kumaraswamy, the JD-S state president, have not contested the details of the properties listed in the booklet. They are only saying that "all these are legally acquired".
Immediately after the release of the booklet, the father-son combine dared Mr Yeddyurappa to seek a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to find out whether the assets were illegally acquired.
On June 29, Mr Kumaraswamy announced that he was giving one week to Mr Yeddyurappa to order the probe and will go on a "fast-unto-death" from July 9.
Mr Yeddyurappa on Thursday ruled out a CBI probe. He told reporters in Mysore, about 130 km from here, that the state government officials were already probing how the assets were acquired and hence CBI was not needed.
Mr Kumaraswamy, 52, was a Kannada film distributor and producer before launching his political career.
He is now a JD(S) Lok Sabha member. His wife, Anitha, is member of the legislative assembly and an entrepreneur. She runs a Kannada TV channel and the couple has one son.
Besides Mr Kumaraswamy, the other Gowda son in politics is HD Revanna, who is a JD(S) leader in the state assembly.
The other two sons are not into politics. The eldest, HD Balakrishne Gowda, was a Karnataka government official while the youngest -- HD Ramesh -- is a doctor.
Since the father and two sons hold top positions in the JD(S), opponents mock it as "thande-makkala paksha" (father and sons party).
Mr Yeddyurappa ruled out persuading Mr Kumaraswamy to drop his fast.
It will be a tense period for the state, particularly tech-hub Bangalore, if Mr Kumaraswamy sticks to his plan and fast continues for a few days, affecting his health.
He has said that he is suffering from "sugar complaint and heart-related ailments". Though doctors had advised him against fast, he will go ahead as otherwise "people will believe that we have something to hide", Mr Kumaraswamy has said.
(With Agency inputs)