Bengaluru civic polls today: We’ll get the magic number, says CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: Enjoying his favorite Rava Idly and Bisi Bele Bath at his favorite restaurant—MTR, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed suggestions that leaders from his own party are gunning for him.
After a gap of a decade, Mr Siddaramaiah visited MTR on Lalbagh road and said that he was too busy during the last 11 years before which he used to frequent the restaurant with other Janata Parivar leaders like late Mr M. Chandrashekhar.
But the CM did not seem amused by the questions posed by reporters over what happened on Thursday, when some senior Congress leaders took an indirect swipe at him.
On Thursday, Congress floor leader in Parliament Mallikarjun Kharge had said that Mr Siddaramaiah could not be compared to former chief minister D. Devraj Urs, while AICC general secretary B.K. Hariprasad had taken an indirect swipe at him saying that some leaders, who claim to be champions of the backward classes before coming to power, show their caste colours after coming to power. Former chief minister S.M. Krishna also took potshots at Mr Siddarmaiah saying those in power should not feel that they know everything.
When asked if these remarks indirectly referred to him, Mr Siddaramaiah shot back: “It could be a reference to any chief minister. Why only Mr Siddaramaiah? When someone has to talk about Devraj Urs, they have to speak like that. Mr Urs did not have caste backing or money. But he gave the best reform programmess for the backward classes. Only Urs can match Urs, not Mr Siddaramaiah. It cannot happen,” he said.
Answering a question on whether there was a move to replace the chief minister in the state, Mr Siddaramaiah said the media was talking about something which was not a subject of discussion among people or in the party.
“This is a hypothetical question, nobody is thinking in this direction. I cannot answer such questions. The only thinking in the party is how to win the BBMP polls, I am sure we will get a majority,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.
The CM said he had got a day free for himself as there was no BBMP election campaign on Friday, a day before the polls. “Between 1999 - 2004, I was a frequent visitor to MTR as I had lost the elections. After that, I got busy. Besides, I want to control my cholesterol levels and avoid hotel food. Today, I felt like having hotel food and so I came here,” he added.
