Ballari: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said it was left to the Congress high command to decide on accommodating JD(S) state unit president H Vishwanath in the coordination committee that he headed in the state. Speaking to reporters in Ballari, he pointed out in response to a question that the committee's job was restricted to ensuring coordination between the Congress and JD(S), which were partners in the coalition government.
Asked if he would be ready to become Chief Minister again if asked to by the coordination committee he said it was not authorised to discuss such matters and also, there was no need to change the present Chief Minister. Mr Siddaramaiah, who was in Ballari to unveil the statue of Sangolli Rayanna in Vaddarabande, recalled at a public meeting earlier the many schemes his government had come out with for people of all sections and regretted that they had not voted for the Congress despite this.
“I was confident that I would form the government for the second consecutive term, but the people did not vote for us despite my welfare schemes and good governance,” he said. Congress MLA from Ballari (ST) constituency B Nagendra, who told the gathering that he had joined the Congress party after quitting the BJP, because of Mr Siddaramaiah, said that to him he was still the CM.
