K'taka Congress MLAs project Siddaramaiah as CM candidate in Assembly polls

Raghavendra Hitnal, Congress MLA from Koppal backed party legislator Zameer Ahmad's demand to project Siddaramaiah as Congress chief ministerial candidate in the next Assembly polls and said that it is the opinion of the people of Karnataka.

"People of the state wants Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and that is the reason Zameer Ahmad has the made statement. It is not only his opinions, it is the opinion of the people of Karnataka," said the Koppal MLA.

Slamming the BJP government over its COVID-19 handling, Hitnal said: "At this point of time, if Siddaramaiah would have been the Chief Minister, he could have brought the proper program to curb the COVID in Karnataka. He gave many schemes when he was CM. People of Karnataka are not happy because Siddaramaiah hasn't become CM once again," he said.

According to party sources, ever since DK Shivakumar took oath as the Karnataka Congress president, there have been conflicts within the party over who will be the party's chief ministerial candidate, with cadres and MLAs divided between the DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah camps.

The differences between the two camps are now out in the open, but the party high command has advised everyone to focus on the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election instead of the chief minister's post, sources said.

Talking about Congress state president DK Shivakumar's statement, Hitnal said, "DK Shivakumar has said that no person should be worshiped and the party is important. He has said what he has to say as the party president, and in the interest of the party. If I am asked about my personal opinion, I will say it."

"There is no confusion as for as leadership is a concern in Congress. Party high command will decide in future about it, but as far as people opinion is concern 100 to 200 per cent Siddaramaiah will become next Chief Minister for sure. It's not only my opinion, but it's also the opinion of the auto driver, the poor, daily wage worker, and shop keepers," he added.

Raghavendra Hitnal is also a loyalist of Siddaramaiah and he's in the Siddaramaiah Group.

Earlier, commenting on the conflict over the Chief Minister's post in Karnataka Congress, KS Eshwarappa, senior BJP leader and Karnataka cabinet minister had said, "There is a fight for the Chief Minister's post with the Congress dreaming of either Siddaramaiah or DK Shivakumar in the CM's chair which can create more problems for Congress in future for sure and DK Shivakumar must not forget that backstabbers are behind him".