BANGALORE: Stating that his detractors are spreading baseless reports on his plans to desert the party, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah asserted that he will not quit the Congress. Addressing newsmen here on Friday, he squarely blamed his opponents were doing so with malicious intentions.
“There is no question of me joining hands with either former CM BS Yeddyurappa or NCP leader Sharad Pawar,” he said.
On reports that he may unite with Yeddyurappa in floating a new political outfit, he remarked: “How can the north pole can meet the south pole.”
“We are in the midst of strengthening the organistion and mobilising the party cadre to face early elections to the state Assembly,” he added.
He, however, pleaded ignorance on who were behind spreading canards against him.
Referring to the remarks of Lok Sabha member Vishwanath on Yeddyurappa that the latter was being ill-treated by the BJP, Siddaramaiah said, “Vishwanath) is in the habit of provocating others; not much credence should be attached to it.”
‘Bopaiah Must Quit’
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah demanded the resignation of Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah against whom the Supreme Court passed severe strictures in the case relating to the disqualification of 16 legislators.
Siddaramaiah said that the two-member constitutional bench while disposing off the case had come to the conclusion that the Speaker had acted in a partisan manner while disqualifying the elected members from the assembly.
The verdict also indicted the Speaker for colluding with then CM for saving the government which was facing the threat to collapse.
“Had the Speaker acted impartially, the BJP government would have collapsed and a new government may have been formed in October 2010; the Speaker chose to act in such a manner to save the government.”
“With the final order of the Apex court out, the Speaker has no moral right to continue in office,” the Opposition leader said.
“He (Bopaiah) is biased and not impartial while discharging his duties,” he added.