Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 28: Addressing the people after entering the campaign in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency on Tuesday October 2, former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah urged the people to teach a fitting lesson to leaders like Muniratna, MTB Nagaraj, Byrathi Basavaraj and S T Somashekar, who he said had backstabbed the Congress leaders after getting elected umder Congress symbol. "These leaders used to meet me everyday and after they were offered Rs 25 to 30 crore rupees they left the Congress and joined the BJP," he said.

He said that even though these leaders were close to him they never consulted him before leaving the Congress nor did he have an inkling of their intentions. "Because they were close to me I had to face the allegation of helping to engineer defections. My name was sullied," he regretted.

Siddaramaiah turned angry at the fact that some slogan-shouting youngsters created disturbances for him when he was canvassing for Congress candidate, Kusuma. The BJP workers also stopped his vehicle and urged him to go back but Siddaramaiah refused. He said that the BJP candidate, Muniratna had deputed these goondas to threaten him as the former was fearful of getting defeated.

Congress leaders have filed complaint with the election commission pointing out that the net worth of BJP candidate Muniratna in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency has gone up by Rs 35 crore within a year.