Karnataka polls: CM Siddu kicks off election campaign in Chamundeshwari, gets warm welcome

Town wears a festive look as CM visits constituency after a 10-year gap; continues temple-hopping.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his poll campaign in Chamundeshwari constituency on Thursday | EPS

MYSURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday kicked off his campaign in Chamundeshwari constituency. The CM, who is visiting Chamundeshwari after a gap of 10 years, was accorded a traditional welcome, with many villagers decking up streets with mango leaves giving a festive mood in Rumnahalli, Kalisiddanahundi and Hanchya villages.The CM visited minority-dominated Bharath Nagar first. Giving a patient hearing to villagers’ demand for basic amenities, he assured that he would look into it after the elections.

As Siddaramaiah entered Nayaka community-dominated Rumnahalli, villagers burst crackers and showered flowers on him.The CM was taken out in a procession by the villagers. The CM and his son Yathindra greeted voters and garlanded Maharshi Valmiki’s protriat in the village. The CM continued his temple-hopping by visiting three major temples in the village. He was made to ring the bells at a temple. Villagers thanked the CM’s son Yathindra for donating `2 lakh to the village temple for annual festival.
Addressing villagers inside the temple, the CM assured them that their demands will be met after the elections.

The CM was taken out in a colourful procession in Kalisiddanahundi and he offered puja at Masanamma temple.Addressing the gathering, the CM exuded confidence that he will win from Chamundeshwari to become chief minister of the state. Appealing to people not to let him down in the polls as it is his last elections, he said people of the constituency have supported him for decades and apologised for not visiting Kalisiddanahundi in the last five years.He said the BJP and the JD(S) will not come to power in Karnataka as people are happy with his ‘good governance’.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah campaigning at Mysuru's Chamundeshwari constituency | EPS

Now, CM says Amit Shah too is scared of him
MYSURU: onths after claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “scared” of him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has now said BJP president Amit Shah too is afraid of him. “Shah is sacred of me. He is following me wherever I go,” Siddaramaiah on Thursday. Last October, Siddaramaiah had said Modi had been attacking him because “he is scared of me”.

Taking a dig at Shah for calling him “Ahindu”, Siddaramaiah said the BJP president should clarify if he is a Hindu or a Jain. He said he is not bothered about Shah’s visit to the state. Recalling by-elections to Nanjangud and Gundlupet, he said people had given Congress victory despite BJP leader Yeddyurappa’s camping for months. Asked about JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy’s statement that the party would defeat him in Chamundeshwari, he said: “I need not do politics on the advice of Kumaraswamy. They are spreading rumours that I will not contest from Chamundeshwari.”