Former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday challenged Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to dissolve the Assembly and face the electorate. He was addressing a press conference here.

The CM is taking part in government functions in a hurry, perhaps with an eye on polls to local bodies, he said. Programmes organised to inaugurate different projects and lay foundation stones for others were being used as political platforms to attack opposition leaders, especially him, he said.

“By quoting an Allama Prabhu ‘vachana’, the CM has said I did not utilise the opportunity provided by JD (S), but had gone in search of greener pastures to the Congress. Who are they to give me power when it is me and other leaders like Sindhia, Mahadevappa and Prakash who have built the party?” he asked.

He said he would have agreed with Kumaraswamy’s observation had he (CM) gained power through hard work. The CM came to power through backdoor and cunning tactics, Siddaramaiah added.