‘Congress didn’t lose LS polls because of alliance’

Coalition Coordination Committee chairman Siddaramaiah on Thursday clarified that no one had said that the Congress party lost in Lok Sabha elections because of alliance with the JD(S).

Speaking to reporters at Hubballi airport Siddaramaiah said, “The Congress lost because of several reasons. The leadership has discussed the reasons for the party’s poor showing in the Lok Sabha elections. I cannot discuss certain issues in open.”

In the meeting held in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Congress leaders had blamed the alliance with the JD(S) for the party’s dismal showing in the recently-concluded Parliamentary elections. But CLP leader Siddaramaiah has brushed aside the views of the party’s unsuccessful candidates.

On whether he would hold an Ahinda convention to strengthen the party, Siddaramaiah said, “The Congress party has always been in favour of social justice and
Ahinda communities. The question of holding a separate convention does not arise,” he said.

Reacting to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s You vote for Modi, expect me to address your woes’ remark, Siddaramaiah said, “I don’t know why he said so. Not aware of the context.”

Divine revelations

On JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti’s mid-term poll prediction, he said, “A few people get divine revelations. They make statements based on the revelations. I don’t get them,” he ridiculed.

Addressing a gathering at S K Alur in Badami taluk, Siddaramaiah said, “I have brought grants of Rs 1,300 crore to Badami after I was elected as MLA. But the people of Badami taluk have given a lead of 9,000 votes to the BJP. We have sanctioned grants to panchayats, introduced Anna Bhagya to the BPL families and Shoe Bhagya for students. But people still voted for BJP,” the former chief minister expressed his displeasure.