MYSURU: While BJP continues to attack the coalition partners JD(S) and Congress for their bonhomie in the bypolls in five constituencies, former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday admitted that while it is difficult to work with the regional party, it is inevitable to bury the hatchet to take on the saffron party.
Speaking to media persons on his arrival at Mysuru Airport before leaving for Mandya, Siddaramaiah said, “It is natural that there will be differences among leaders of both the parties as we have been opposing each other for several years.
However, we have to work together for the victory of the common candidate.”
Venting his ire on BJP leaders, whom he accused of making persistent efforts to destabilise the coalition government, Siddaramaiah said, “They are on a sticky wicket because the common candidates fielded by the coalition partners have all the chances of winning the elections.”
On a section of Congress leaders in Mandya still dithering to work on behalf of JD(S) candidate L R Shivarame Gowda, a confident Siddaramaiah said, “I am going to Mandya and will hold talks with every such disgruntled leader. Some of the party leaders who had gone on foreign tours have returned and they
too will be involved in the hustings.”
‘It will be Congress mayor in Mysuru’
To a query on mayoral polls of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), Siddaramaiah said, “As the Congress party has won more seats (19 wards), we are definitely aspiring for the mayor’s seat. By winning more seats, it’s natural that we will settle for the mayor’s chair and nothing less,” he added, much to the inconvenience of JD(S) which is also batting for the mayor’s post.