Congress is ready if assembly polls are announced early, says Siddaramaiah

Stating that the chances of holding early polls to the state assembly are bleak, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah said on Saturday that even if the election is announced, the Congress is ready to face it.

Speaking to reporters at Kalaburagi Airport here, he said he doesn't feel the government that is unable to hold Zilla Panchayat polls will go for early assembly polls.

Responding to the remarks made by former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy that his name (Siddaramaiah) should be recommended for the Bharat Ratna award, Siddaramaiah said Kumaraswamy has sarcastically stated this for imposing a fine on Eagleton Resort located in Bidadi. The court has upheld the decision taken by the previous Congress government. "I don't fear anybody. Kumaraswamy is speaking against me as he is afraid of me", the ex-CM said.

On the internal bickerings in the state Congress unit, Siddaramaiah said that the differences and internal bickerings are common in all political parties. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa had written a letter to the Governor against then chief minister B S Yediyurappa and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal also spoke against his own party. "Are these not differences," he asked.

"As regards Yediyurappa's remarks that the grand-old party will not come back to power in the state," the leader said.

"Yediyurappa has been dethroned from the chief minister's post and he shed tears before tendering his resignation. The BJP high command threatened him that he will be put behind bars if he fails to resign," he added.

"The corrupt government exists in the state and the Congress will not take back those who quit the party. The BJP will face defeat in the next assembly polls even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi targets Karnataka. People are casting their votes on Hindutva plank but not on the achievement," he said.

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