Former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah, who was suspended from the Janata Dal (S), is all set to join the Congress in the near future. | |
| Siddaramaiah, who was unceremoniously removed from the post of the deputy chief minister in the erstwhile Congress-JD(S) coalition government, left for New Delhi on Monday to meet Congress leaders. |
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| On Tuesday, he reportedly held discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and Union minister Oscar Fernandes on the matter. |
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| Former Congress ministers H M Revanna and H Vishwanath have been pushing for Siddaramaiah's entry into the Congress. Siddaramaiah was suspended from the party by JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda in June 2005 after the former attended conventions of minorities and backward classes. |
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| Siddaramaiah and seven of his supporters have been seeking a separate identity in the Karnataka assembly. |
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| According to sources, there will be a reorganisation of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee once Siddaramaiah joins the party. |
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| "Siddaramaiah has laid down a condition to join the party. |
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| He wants a significant post and at least 20 of his supporters should be fielded from the Congress during the next Assembly elections," the sources added. |
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| Siddaramaiah, who belongs to the Kuruba community, has a large following in the state. |
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| After his exit from the JD(S), the party fared poorly in many regions of the state in elections to the Panchayat Raj bodies. |
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