Karnataka - Mysore   

Siddaramaiah categorically rules out joining Congress

Staff Correspondent

MYSORE: The former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has categorically ruled out joining the Congress. "Neither have I submitted an application to the Congress party nor have I met senior Congress leaders in that regard," Mr. Siddaramaiah clarified at a meet the press programme organized by the Mysore District Journalists' Association here on Tuesday.

Blaming the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for spreading rumours about his imminent entry into the Congress, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he is very much with the Janata Dal (Secular), the party he had helped build during the past several years.

"Mr. Gowda is deliberately spreading rumours about my entry into the Congress so that I will leave the JD(S)," Mr. Siddaramaiah said and challenged the JD(S) President to expel him from the party.

Though he does not have any personal differences with Mr. Gowda, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he is opposed to what he called the political conspiracy hatched by the former Prime Minister to remove him from the post of JD(S) Legislature Party leader through deceit.

"As the JD (S) Legislature Party leader, it was my prerogative to convene the legislature party meet. But, instead of me, his son Kumaraswamy convened an illegal meeting, in which a decision was taken to remove me like a Group D employee," Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

Meeting convened

Claiming that he represents the real JD(S), Mr. Siddaramaiah said he has convened a crucial meeting of the party in Bangalore on September 30, where taluk-level presidents, district unit chiefs, office-bearers, MLAs and senior leaders who stand by him will discuss the actions taken by Mr. Gowda and his sons.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Immense potential seen in value addition to food
Cable operators blame MSOs for service disruption
Speculative investment in property deterring genuine buyers
A Dasara for the epicure
Siddaramaiah categorically rules out joining Congress
Unpainted Ganesha idols to be sold at Kuvempunagar

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu