Siddaramaiah sets target of 25 seats for Congress in Bengaluru

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that his party should aim at winning 25 out of 28 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru in the next election while gunning for the defeat of BJP leader R Ashoka in Padmanabhanagar.

The former chief minister was speaking at an event where ration kits were distributed in Padmanabhanagar, Ashoka’s pocket borough.

“Ashoka has won six times here. That’s enough. I request you with folded hands, make a change,” Siddaramaiah said.

“Last time, we won 16 out of 28 seats in Bengaluru. This time, we should win at least 25 out of 28,” he said, adding that the Congress would field “a good candidate” in Padmanabhanagar for the next election.

Attacking the ruling BJP, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka’s financial situation was worrisome.

Also read: Siddaramaiah demands early formation of Cabinet

“When we ask for funds to be given for development works, Covid-19 is cited as an excuse. I asked B S Yediyurappa to step aside, so that we can show it can be done,” he said.

“I even said we should go for an election, but then they appointed Basavaraj Bommai as the CM. The BJP itself is a corrupt party. Can we expect anything from them? Nothing,” he said.

Taking a dig at Yediyurappa, Siddaramaiah said the former chief minister had gotten used to shortcuts to come to power.

“He doesn’t know front-door politics. Through Operation Lotus (defection of MLAs), he only knows back-door entry,” he said, adding that it was Yediyurappa who made Bommai the CM.

“Can we expect Bommai to work independently and not as a rubber stamp?”