Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah: Can't beat me, will win Chamundeshwari this time too!

Bengaluru: Amid conflicting reports about his victory prospects, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that he would win the coming Assembly election in Chamundeshwari in spite of state JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa reportedly coming together to defeat him.

The Chief Minister who had won the 2013 Assembly polls from Varuna in Mysuru, has shifted to Chamundeshwari this time vacating Varuna for his son and poll debutant Dr Yatindra.

“There is a discussion going on everywhere about this. Both Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Yeddyurappa are saying that they want to defeat me at Chamundeshwari. I think they both have come together. I won the Chamundeshwari seat in 2006 when they both were together. Unlike those leaders, I do not target any individual leader and campaign during the poll. We campaign based on our performance. This time too, I am the one who will win,” he asserted.

Reacting to JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda’s complaint to the Election Commission on the poll irregularities allegedly being committed by him, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "Mr Gowda has a lot of experience in committing poll irregularities. I do not know about this. To commit illegalities, I will not misuse my position. The model code of conduct for the polls has come into force and after that, I have never met any official other than the chief secretary,” he said.

On the Congress list of candidates for the coming Assembly polls, Mr Siddaramaiah said the list prepared by the party’s Election Committee is with the screening committee which will go through the list and submit it to the Central Election Committee which will announce the list. Mr Siddaramaiah is likely to fly to New Delhi along with KPCC president, Dr G. Parameshwar to hold a discussion with the Central Election Committee on April 9 to finalise the list.