“Statement distorted”: Siddaramaiah clarifies CM claim

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Clarifying on his supposed declaration of being the Congress’s chief ministerial candidate in the ensuing Karnataka Assembly polls, former CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he was only an ‘aspirant’ for the post.

Siddaramaiah, who is visiting the national capital for the AICC meeting ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls, claimed that his statement was distorted as it will be the state’s time-honoured democratic system which will elect the next chief minister.
“What is being quoted in the media is totally false. All I said is that the CM will be selected through a democratic process, I am an aspirant for CM and he (DK Shivakumar) is also an aspirant. Whatever they (media) are reporting is false,” said Siddaramaiah.

“My statement has been distorted. I have not declared myself as the chief ministerial candidate. The democratic system will elect the CM and what’s been quoted is totally false,” the former CM added.

Meanwhile, the shadown boxing in the Congress over the chief minister’s post continues to deepen, amid a continuing war of words between the loyalists Siddaramaiah and state chief Shivakumar.

The war of words has sown seeds of doubt over the poll preparedness of the grand old party, which happens to be the principal Opposition player in the state. According to most party leaders, infighting has become a “nightmare” for many Congress leaders.

Counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly will take place on May 13.

Karnataka, which has 224 seats in the Assembly currently has 119 MLAs of the ruling BJP, while Congress has 75 and ally JD(S) has 28 seats. (ANI)