Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)
Mysuru, Dec 19: "Knowing fully well that I would have become the chief minister of Karnataka again if I had won from Chamundeshwari constituency here, the leaders of my own party conspired to defeat me," claimed former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the assembly, Siddaramaiah. His remarks have given rise to turmoil within the political circles.
He was speaking at the 'Grama Janadhikara Samavesha' in relation to the gram panchayat election held in Chamundeshwari constituency on Friday December 18. "Some of the party activists did not like the idea of me becoming the chief minister. Therefore they joined hands with the JD(S) and the BJP to defeat me," he explained.
Siddaramaiah stated that this constituency had given him political rebirth but at the same time, it also created too much political agony in him. He said he never imagined that he would have faced such an utter defeat in this constituency during the previous election.
Siddaramaiah had kept himself away from Chamundeshwari constituency, his home turf, after his defeat. Campaigning for the party for the upcoming gram panchayat election, he called upon those who committed treachery with the party to introspect and leave the party. No one should work against their own parties for silly reasons, he opined.
He said that but for the fact that he scraped through in Badami constituency, his political future would have been very bleak. "I do not know whether I will fight another election. But I find it hard to take my defeat in this constituency in my stride," he explained. When one of the activists asked him to fight again from Chamundeshwari constituency, Siddaramaiah told him that he could be backstabbed again.
Responding to the remarks, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar, commented that Siddaramaiah should have named the persons who betrayed him in the election. He said that for generalised statements he cannot comment. He confirmed that he wanted Siddaramaiah to become the chief minister again.