Bengaluru: This is one sweet gesture CM Siddaramaiah is unlikely to forget in a hurry, amidst the raging storm over the recent Cabinet reshuffle which has ruffled many feathers.
On Sunday at a Kuruba community programme, a Taluk Panchayat (TP) member from Tarikere in Chikkamagaluru district walked up to him smiling and planted a kiss on his cheek in full public view.
This incident took place, soon after he had felicitated Girija Srinivas, the TP member. Neither Mr Siddaramaiah nor Ms Girija looked embarrassed, in fact the Chief Minister put his hand on her head as she bent toward him to give him a peck.
It took almost 10 seconds for Mr Siddaramaiah’s security personnel to realize what was happening and before they could react, the woman had disappeared from the stage.
Speaking to reporters, a visibly excited Girija played down the incident asserting, “He is like my father. I met him for the first time. I could not control my excitement, so I kissed him. What’s wrong in it?”
She claimed that she was originally from Varuna constituency in Mysuru district which Mr Siddaramaiah represents in the Assembly. She is married to a man from Chikkamagaluru district and Tarikere is her new home. “He even helped me win the Taluk Panchayat seat from Tarikere,” Girija added.
