Concentrating on all segments, to win 20 seats in Karnataka: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, the Congress will win both Mysuru and Chamarajanahgar segments, but his concentration is on all 28 segments across Karnataka and he has confidence that the party will win 20 of the Lok Sabha constituencies.

Speaking to media persons, at Mysuru Airport, on Monday, he said, he will visit all segments across Karnataka, to the maximum extent. Reacting to the statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on development politics, Siddaramaiah asked, have ‘acche din’ arrived?

“People are suffering due to the hike in price of petrol, diesel and domestic gas. There are no trailers or films of the BJP on development impact. Films on only false promises might be in the offing. The anti-people policies of the BJP are a boon to the Congress. Thus, people will vote for the Congress,” he said.

“The BJP has conducted a nation-wide survey. Its leaders know that the party can win only around 200 segments. It is a ploy to deceive the voters, by faking the predictions and claim that they will cross the 400 mark. The people will not be trapped now. Let Modi himself come and campaign for BJP candidates. We know what happened in the last year Assembly poll, when Modi extensively toured Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah said.

Hinting that the family members and supporters of Chamarajanagar MP V Srinivas Prasad will join the Congress, Siddaramaiah said, many leaders are expected to crossover. “We welcome whoever accepts our principles and ideology,” he said. Prasad declared his political retirement on March 17, by celebrating the golden jubilee of his political career.

In response to the statement of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda that the ego of Siddaramaiah will be hurt, in the election, Siddaramaiah said, “I have no ego, to be hurt. I only speak the truth. I am telling what Deve Gowda had already said. Who said that he would flee the country, if Modi becomes PM? Who said he wishes to be a Muslim in rebirth?”

Commenting on the BJP-JD(S) alliance, Siddaramaiah said, he knows well about the alliance from the experience of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

Siddaramaiah defends son’s ‘goonda’ jibe against Shah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended his son Dr Yathindra’s ‘goonda’ jibe against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speaking to media persons, at Mysuru Airport, on Monday, he asked, what is wrong in Yathindra’s statement? “He has only repeated what CBI had already said. He has not used the term. It is in the CBI report. He has only quoted the report. BJP does not know culture. But, BJP leaders speak on teaching culture to Yathindra,” he said.