I Am Not Someone to Be Taken Lightly: Siddaramaiah Hits Back at Rivals

Kalaburagi: In a direct challenge to BJP and JD(S) leaders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah aimed at his political opponents, declaring that any attempts to "finish" him would be futile.

“If HD Kumaraswamy and BS Yediyurappa think they can finish me (end my career), they are mistaken. I am not someone to be taken lightly,” Siddaramaiah asserted, addressing a gathering at the Sangolli Rayanna Jayanti in Kavalgi village of Kalaburagi district on Monday.

He was speaking after unveiling a statue of Sangolli Rayanna, a symbol of resistance against British rule, and used the occasion to take a swipe at his rivals.

Clearly denying the charges made by BJP and JD(S) against him, Siddaramaiah asserted that he had not erred throughout his four decades of political career.

"I haven’t committed any wrong in the past 40 years. Why would I do it now?" he asked.

"We had to suffer 200 years of slavery because some among us joined hands with the British. It was our own people who betrayed Sangolli Rayanna to the British. Such traitors existed in the past and will continue to exist in the future. We must be cautious of such individuals" the CM said.

In a reference to ongoing political challenges, Siddaramaiah said that his pro-poor policies had made him a target of conspiracies by the political elite.

“I was born in a backward community and understand poverty and the plight of villages. I am formulating programs to eradicate poverty. They are plotting against me because I have introduced welfare schemes for the poor and middle class. Don’t let their attempt succeed,” he said.

Drawing historical parallels, Siddaramaiah noted, "It was the elites who handed over Rayanna to the British and banished Basavanna from the royal court. So, be cautious of BJP and JDS leaders."

The Chief Minister emphasized his administration's commitment to inclusive governance, aligning his policies with Dr BR Ambedkar's vision of equality.

“Thanks to Ambedkar's Constitution, I am the Chief Minister today. I am working to uplift all communities, castes, and women, as Ambedkar envisioned,” he said.

Taking a dig at the central government, Siddaramaiah accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of blocking Karnataka’s plan to provide an additional 5 kg of rice under the Food Security Act.

“We wanted to give 5 kg of extra rice, but Modi didn’t allow it. So, we are now giving the equivalent amount in cash to our people,” he asserted.