Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 18: "I extended my hand to Siddaramaiah when he was drowning like the ship, Titanic, helped him to brighten his political career that was very dim at one stage. He forgot the sense of gratitude, and betrayed me without even giving me an inkling of what was to come," said former minister, V Srinivas Prasad, in a hard-hitting verbal tirade against the chief minister.

"Siddaramaiah is like Brutus of Shakespeare's play in which he kills Julius Caesar. I wanted a dignified exist from 45 years of political life but the chief minister delivered a blow that has left lasting agony in me. I did politics without any blot. I can get relieved of my pain only when I take revenge for this insult," he added.

Addressing a press conference in a private hotel after tendering his resignation to assembly speaker, K B Koliwad on Monday, he targetted Siddaramaiah and six Congress leaders. "Siddaramaiah is a person sans humanitarian values. He urged me to initiate his 'Ahinda' at Basavakalyana. During the assembly bypoll too he approached me and sought my help. Because he has inferiority complex over my political experience, superior electoral planning etc, he chose to stab me in the back," he fumed.

He said that during his 45 years of political life, he had faced 12 elections, functioned as MP for five terms, became minister at centre, was chosen as MLA twice, and was revenue minister for three years.

"Siddarmaiah knew that I was planning to voluntarily exist honourably. He was close to me, but without giving a hint, he suddenly dropped me from the cabinet," he recalled. Prasad accused Mallikarjun Kharge also of not standing up to his stature, and joining the chief minister in hatching a plan to unseat him to elevate Kharge's son, Priyank, to the post of a minister.

"The state is reeling under the grip of Digvijay Singh, Siddaramaiah, Kharge, Parameshwar, K J George, and D K Shivakumar. This is the coterie that handles everything in the party and the government. This is also the group which communicates with the high command including delivering monetary contributions," he added. he also said that there are many 'payment seats' in the state cabinet." he said.