From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Virajpet (Kodagu), Jan 25: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday claimed that senior leader and former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar had met him personally and had promised to stay in Congress and never to return to BJP and said that the Congress party had treated the former BJP leader with dignity and respect.
Speaking to media persons in Virajpet of Kodagu district, he said the Congress party had welcomed Shettar when the then ruling BJP had insulted him and had fielded him in the Assembly polls. When Shettar suffered a defeat in the assembly polls, the Congress party rewarded him with MLC seat.
“We have treated Jagadish Shettar with all dignity and respect. Shettar was never insulted nor suffered any injustice in the Congress party,’’ Siddaramaiah said.
The Chief Minister feigned ignorance on Shettar quitting the Congress and rejoining BJP. “He had met me at a function 10 days ago and had told me that he had been insulted by BJP once and would never go back. He has not met me afterwards,’’ he claimed.
Answering questions on the setback to the opposition alliance of INDIA for the Lok Sabha polls with chief ministers of West Bengal and Punjab – Mamatha Banerjee and Bhagwant Singh Mann – declaring that they will contest on their own without having any truck with Congress, he said the leaders of INDIA will discuss the issue and take suitable decisions.
“There is still time for Lok Sabha polls,’’ he said.
The Chief Minister promised to seriously consider the demand for supplying free power to coffee growers for up to 10 HP irrigation pumpsets.
“The free power for 10 HP IP sets for coffee growers existed since 2008. But it was withdrawn later. The previous BJP government with its own MLAs did not help them. We will seriously look into the demand,’’ he said.
The Chief Minister said the party president and high command will take a decision on the names of appointments to boards and corporations. “It is not correct to publicly speak on the issue,’’ he said.
He declared that his son and former MLA Dr Yathindra will not contest the Lok Sabha elections.