Siddaramaiah's aide manhandles journalist in Delhi

Several Congress leaders were in Delhi on Tuesday to attend party's CEC meeting

A scuffle broke out outside a hotel in New Delhi as Congress leader Siddaramiah's aide and Hebbal MLA Byrathi Suresh manhandled a journalist. However, Siddaramiah stepped in to pacify the journalists after the incident.

Several Congress leaders were in Delhi on Tuesday to attend the party's Central Election Committee meeting to finalise the second list of candidates for the remaining 100 seats of the 224 Assembly segments in Karnataka. Since entry into Karnataka Bhavan was banned due to the election code of conduct, they were all staying in hotels.

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When the media persons wanted to ask the former chief minister a question on his recent claim that he is the front-runner for the CM post, a scuffle broke out as several journalists and Congress workers were gathered in the hotel lobby. In the melee, MLA Suresh abused a journalist.

However, Siddaramaiah intervened to pacify both sides before heading to the Congress headquarters. Later, Suresh clarified that it happened due to a misunderstanding. "I thought it was Congress workers who were shooting video when Siddaramaiah was entering the hotel lobby from the room and didn't know that it was a journalist."