From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Congress opposition leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah has finally put an end to the suspense over his constituency and has announced his decision to contest the next assembly election from Kolar.

Speaking at a meeting Congress workers of Kolar on Monday, January 9, he said he has bowed to the request of all prominent party leaders from Kolar and his supporters to enter the fray from Kolar.

Former union minister K H Muniyappa, who had represented the Kolar lok sabha constituency, former assembly speaker and MLA Ramesh Kumar, former minister and MLA C Krishna Byregowda, former minister Nazir Ahmed as well as the present sitting Congress MLA Srinivas Gowda and other leaders from Kolar district have all urged me to contest from Kolar and I have decided to honour their request, Siddaramaiah said.

He, however, made it clear that his decision to enter the fray from Kolar is subject to the approval from the party high command.

Siddaramaiah said he had visited Kolar recently and had visited temples, mosques and churches in the district and had held discussions with the religious leaders and local people.

“All sections of people, including my own partymen, have been pressing me to contest from Kolar,’’ he said pointing out that he had contested from Chamundeshwari and Varuna constituencies in Mysuru district and also from Badami in Koppal district in the past elections.

“There are people, who have been criticising me and claiming that I have no safe constituency. I have been elected from Badami in the last election. When I told the local people that I will not be able to contest from Badami in the coming election due to the distance, the people have offered to buy me a helicopter and said I can visit the constituency once a week. I am overwhelmed by the offer and love of the people,” he said.

However, Siddaramaiah said that he has decided to contest in the next election from Kolar after considering all aspects and also the promise of the local people, especially the sitting MLA Srinivasa Gowda to work for my success.

“My decision is subject to green signal from the party high command. I cannot make a decision unilaterally or expect special or preferential treatment. All of us have to await the approval of the high command, whose decision is final and binding,” he declared.

Siddaramaiah said if he is allowed to contest from Kolar and gets elected, he will be visiting the constituency regularly, at least once a week. ``But i can be approached by anybody on the local problems and need not wait for any leader,’’ he said pointing out that he has worked for the development of the entire State and all constituencies. “I will continue to do so in future also,” he said.

The former chief minister said the party leader Sudarshan has suggested major issues and problems of Kolar and assured that he will work for the development of the entire district and not just Kolar assembly constituency.

Siddaramaiah explained the various programmes undertaken by him like K C Valley project at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore, expediting implementation of the Etthinahole Project and completion of all irrigation projects in 5 years by spending Rs 2 lac crore as promised by the party.

He promised to ensure that a hospital is started in Kolar after the election and mentioned that Congress party had implemented 158 out of the 165 electoral promises of 2013.

Siddaramaiah said the Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA regime has announced farm loan waivers of Rs 78,000 crore and his government had waived Rs 8,165 crore farm loan. “Has Narendra Modi or Basavaraj Bommai regimes waived even a rupee of farm loans,’’ he asked.

The Congress leader said ruling BJP is a “factory of falsehood and broken promises” and said Modi believes in selling dreams on slogans such as Acche Din, Na Khaavoonga, Na Khaane Doonga, depositing Rs 15 lacs in bank accounts, doubling income of farmers or creation of 2 crore jobs annually and ignoring all promises while people are suffering due to inflation, high prices of cooking gas, petrol and diesel, cement and iron-steel.

Siddaramaiah announced that he will be addressing a massive rally on January 23 and will announce the party programmes. “Our target is winning 150 out of the 224 seats and we will win 150 seats to come to power,” he predicted.