Hubballi: Giving enough indications that victory will be not so easy for JD(S) in the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat a day after voting in the by-elections, former CM Siddaramaiah claimed here on Sunday that there is a tough fight between the coalition partners and BJP in the constituency.
Expressing confidence that the Congress will win Jamkhandi Assembly seat and Ballari parliamentary constituency, he said the coalition partner, JD(S) will retain both Ramanagara and Mandya seats. The by-election results will be an indicator of the results in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said adding that the coalition government in the state will complete its full term.
Lashing out at state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa, Siddaramaiah alleged that he is under the illusion that he will become CM again but his wish will not be fulfilled. “The BJP leader has been dreaming about the third floor of Vidhana Soudha with an eye on the CM’s chair. Therefore, he has been giving false predictions that the state government will collapse at any time. But, our government will last five years, any attempt to destibilise it will not succeed”, he said.
Responding to a question on the Cabinet expansion, he said the matter will be discussed after the Diwali festival. Stating that the government has been celebrating Tipu’s birth anniversary since three years, he said it will continue this year too despite stiff opposition from BJP leaders.
Responding to the Hublot watch controversy in Dharwad, Siddaramaiah said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has given a ‘B’ report in the case after a thorough investigation with the probe agency exonerating him of the charges. He said BJP leaders are unnecessarily raking up the issue and challenged them to probe the charges against him.
Lambasting BJP leaders, he said they used to call the CBI ‘Chor Bachao Institute’ earlier and are now demanding a CBI probe into all cases. The former CM took part in the felicitation programme of senior Congress leader Veeranna Mattikatti on his 70th birthday on Sunday.
