Siddaramiah predicts Congress win in mid-term polls

Hubballi: Former Chief Minister, Siddaramiah demanded here on Monday that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa should step down if the BJP did not win at least eight assembly seats in the December 5 byelections to give his government the numbers it needed to survive.

Recalling the Chief Minister's claim that his party would win all 15 seats, he told reporters here that  Karnataka would have no choice but to hold mid-term polls post the byelections, and  the question of the BJP seeking a trust vote in the legislative assembly would not arise.

Asked about the possibility of the JD(S)  extending its support to the BJP government should it fall short of numbers in the byelections, he claimed it would not back it.  

“I have been a part of the JD(S) in the past and know how it functions. It will not support the state government if the BJP fails to win at least eight seats to prove its majority. The Congress party will come to power after the mid-term polls and our party high command will decide the Chief Ministerial candidate,” he asserted.

Later, campaigning for party candidate Bheemanna Naik at Indur village in  Mundagod taluk, Mr Siddaramaiah alleged that the disqualified legislators had “sold themselves to the BJP like some sheep, chicken or buffaloes.”