Siddaramaiah "front-runner" for CM's post: PCC working prez

Karnataka PCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao today said he was confident about Congress returning to power in the May 12 state assembly polls.

Incumbent Siddaramaiah will be the "front-runner" for the Chief Minister's post, he said.

Asserting that there was no anti-incumbency against the Siddaramaiah government, he took a dig at BJP, saying its president Amith Shah is becoming a "star campaigner" for the ruling party.

He also raised questions about Prime Minister Narendera Modi's "absence from campaigning."
"I think we will do better than last time, because last time was election based upon anti or negative BJP (wave)...this time in the election people are not only unhappy with BJP, but they are happy with the Congress in Karnataka."
Rao also claimed that there was no anti-incumbency, adding, instead, "there is pro-incumbency."
"We will improve than last time, but we will have to get the ticket distribution every thing done correctly."
Ruling out "Modi wave", Rao said the "Modi factor or phenomenon is going down, because people are not seeing tangible results."
"I think Amit Shah is becoming a star campaigner for the Congress, because whatever he is doing is helping us," he said, citing his "gaffes."
He claimed that Shah coming to the state has also suffocated the BJP, as state leaders have "become voiceless",
Asked about joining hands with JDS in case of a hung assembly, as Congress has worked with the party in the past, Rao said "The problem is they (JDS) are not reliable."
Claiming that Congress leaders have been to temples inthe past also while campaigning, he said "it is an attempt by BJPto target Rahul Gandhi by accusing him of trying to get political mileage....which is not true."