K'taka polls: Siddaramaiah denied ticket from Kolar, local leader fielded

In a setback to Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, the Kolar assembly seat has been allotted to a local leader by the Congress. Siddaramaiah had asked for a ticket from Kolar constituency also. Presently he is contesting from Varuna seat.

The party has allotted the ticket to Kothur Manjunath. According to sources in the party, the invisible hands within Congress have denied the safer option to Siddaramaiah by denying him ticket to contest from two constituencies.

Siddaramaiah was planning to retain Kolar and resign from Varuna constituency. He had planned to get his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah elected in the by-polls. However, with BJP fielding a formidable candidate in Varuna constituency in the form of senior leader V. Somanna and Congress denying him ticket from Kolar, sources explain that Siddaramaiah is pushed to tight spot.

Kothur Manjunath stated that the high command has announced his name without asking him. He maintained that Siddaramaiah should be made a candidate from Kolar. "But, if local leaders want me to contest I will," he said.

--IANS

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