The math in the bag? Siddaramaiah's confidence up

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was on Friday dismissive of the Janata Dal(S)’s claims that the state would have a re-poll three months after the coming assembly elections if no party got a  majority  to form the government. 

“The  opposition parties are delusional. The JD (S) will be restricted to 25 to 30 seats,” he declared.

Mr Siddaramaiah, who spoke to reporters at the Suttur Math, at the foothills of the Chamundeshwari Hills and  near his home in Sharadadevinagar, said he would ensure the defeat of both former Chief Ministers, B S Yeddyurappa and state JD(S) chief, H D Kumaraswamy in their respective constituencies. 

When it was pointed out that both leaders were going all out  to defeat him, he retorted, “Are they the only ones who can flex their muscles?  I will try to defeat both Yeddyurappa and Kumaraswamy.” 

Would he campaign for a week in the constituencies they were contesting from? He shot back, “Why do we need a week, one day is enough.”  Asked if   Mr  Yeddyurappa and Mr Kumaraswamy were likely to join hands to defeat him in Chamundeswari constituency,  Mr Siddaramaiah recalled they had tried to once in 2006. “But people are with us now,” he asserted.

As for Mr Yeddyurappa and Mr Kumarswamy’s threat that his political career would come to an end in Chamundeshwari, he said, “It is only a political statement. Mr  Deve Gowda sat in the constituency for ten days ,  cried and did all sorts of things in 2006, but the people of the constituency did not leave me, and they will not desert me even now.” 

When it was pointed out that senior leaders  like Mr Vishwanath and Mr Srinivasprasad from the region were no longer with the Congress, he said, “They have nothing to do with Chamundeshwari. I did not win because of them.”

Deploring that there was an attempt to weaken the Prohibition of Atrocities Against Dalits Act, he accused the Union government of being anti-Dalit. “Although nine Dalits have died during protests so far, it has not come out with  a single statement,” he regretted.

Rahul Gandhi’s sixth-leg of K’taka tour begins today

Congress President Rahul Gandhi  will be touring Bengaluru division for two days from Saturday for campaigning ahead of the May 12 Assembly polls in the state.

Mr Gandhi will tour Kolar, Chikkaballapura and Bengaluru as part of his sixth-leg of poll campaign in the state, party sources said.     
The Congress president will begin his tour by visiting  Kudumalai Ganesha temple at Mulbagal and will later take  part in a roadshow.      He is also scheduled to address corner meeting and  public meeting at Kolar and Chikkaballapura, respectively.      

On April 8, Gandhi is scheduled to take part in an interaction with Safai Karmacharis and industrialists in  Bengaluru, following which he will address a public meeting here to mark the conclusion of 'Janashirvada Yatra'. The Congress President had earlier toured in northern  and coastal districts, also in old Mysuru and central Karnataka  districts.  Visits to temples, maths, church and dargha were part  of Mr Gandhi's successive trips to the poll bound state.   

Though the party has not announced any Chief Ministerial candidate, it has projected Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as its face.