Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah still bent on Badami? Decision today

Mysuru: Giving every indication that he intends to contest from two seats, both Badami in Bagalkot in the north as well as in his preferred seat of Chamundeshwari, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said he would take a decision on a second constituency by Saturday morning after a discussion with Congress president, Rahul Gandhi. 

Asked if  he was interested in Badami as intelligence reports for Chamundeswari had given it a thumbs down, the CM said, “I had said no to the high command. But several leaders from North Karnataka, including S.R Patil, M.R. Patil, Thimmapura, J.T. Patil, and Meti, came to meet me yesterday and this morning too and  continued to insist that I should contest from Badami. And so I have informed the  high command about their views and said I would abide by its decision."  

As for his son's message on social media confirming that he would contest from Badami too,  he said, "He was present when a few leaders met me, and based on that he may have said something."  

If he  contested from both constituencie and won,  which one would he give up?  The Chief Minister responded, "If I contest from two constituencies, I will win from both. But I will decide on which one to give up after the elections."   

Mr Siddaramaiah, who was speaking to reporters here,  claimed there was no anti -incumbency against his government and  there was no scope for a hung assembly either as indicated by a few surveys. 

“All three  surveys we have done have confirmed that we will come to power with a clear majority," he asserted, adding. 

“We have no relation with any party, we are not joining hands with any party. If any secular party offers to support us,  we will talk to them and accept.”  

Asked if the party would accept  support from the Janata Dal (Secular), he shot back, "Who said it is secular?  If it was really committed to secularism, it would not have joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2006." 

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Siddaramaiah accused him of making a politically motivated and irresponsible statement that his was a "ten percent government" without an iota of evidence. 

"They think that people are fools and they can fool them with repeated lies. Yogi Adityanath comes and makes allegations and Amit Shah calls me anti- Hindu and says I am AHindu, but I am a better Hindu than they are with human values.. You (Amit Shah) are not a Hindu. Let him come out with records to show he is not a Jain," he challenged.