I trust HD Gowda’s ‘Rahul for PM’ declaration: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah has dismissed the statements by Janata Dal (Secular) leaders that JD(S) supremo H,D, Deve Gowda is a PM candidate saying, "Mr  Deve Gowda himself has said that Rahul Gandhi (Congress president) is the PM candidate. So I trust him, but not the statements of other JD(S) leaders.”

He was speaking to media persons near his residence at Sharadadevinagar in Mysuru on Sunday. Mr Siddaramaiah was in Mysuru to hold a meeting with Congress leaders on the Lok Sabha election pertaining to Mysuru-Kodagu constituency.  

On JD (S) leader and Minister Mr Sa Ra Mahesh's statement that if the Congress betrays JD(S) in Mandya where CM H.D. Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is contesting, the JD (S) will do the same to the Congress in Mysuru, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "We have entered into a coalition with trust. Such statements will spoil the trust. But Mr Kumaraswamy or Mr  Deve Gowda have not made any such statement. So I rely on them."

He added, "what charisma do BJP leaders possess? People hailed Modi, but he took no development initiatives. He failed to keep the promise to generate 10 crore jobs. Now he is trying to gain popularity by publicising the strikes on Pakistan," he said. Meanwhile former minister Mr C.H. Vijashankar said that the Congress is likely to announce its list of candidates on March 19.