Karnataka: Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari? No way, avers sitting MLA

Bengaluru: While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hinted at contesting from Chamundeshwari in the coming elections to the state assembly, the current MLA from the constituency, G T Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (S) believes this is highly unlikely.

Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, he argued the Chief Minister would never risk contesting from the constituency, which he had quit in 2013 to contest from Varuna.

"He knows it will be difficult for him to contest from Chamundeshwari as he has lost touch with voters there over the last four years and is also aware that Varuna is safest for him in the present political scenario. He is merely enacting a big drama to mislead opposition parties and stop them from working out a strategy to upset his applecart as they do not have a suitable candidate to take him on in Varuna presently. Also, he is unlikely to risk fielding his son, Dr Yatindra from Varuna," he maintained.

While the MLA is upset at the JD(S) opting to field veteran Congress leader and former Mysuru MP, A.H. Vishwanath from Hunsur in the elections should he join the party, as he had hoped the ticket would go either to his wife or son, he ruled out the possibility of quitting it to join the Congress. "I will not be able to face the people of my constituency if I switch my loyalties to the Congress," he said.

Sources close to him, however, say he is so unhappy with the turn of events that he has decided not to meet any of his party leaders till June 15. The JD(S) is also believed to be toying with the idea of fielding Prajwal, son of Mr H D Revanna, from Hunsur as he reportedly has a fan following in the constituency.