VIJAYAPURA: With the ongoing debate over finding eligible candidates for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president post, former minister MB Patil, who is said to be in the race along with DK Shivakumar, clarified, “I am not in the race, but I hope a leader from North Karnataka is picked, as the Leader of Opposition is from South Karnataka.”
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Patil said, "Even when I met the party high command Sonia Gandhi and other leaders, I never demanded they appoint me as KPCC president. It is left to the high command, and whatever their decision, I am bound by it. However, former CM Siddaramaiah may have supported me for the post."
He said that they have urged the high command to keep Siddaramaiah on as Opposition leader, as he is the most experienced politician. "Siddaramaiah is the only leader who has presented the budget 13 times in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and has complete knowledge about the current financial situation in the state," asserted Patil.
Lashing out at BJP leaders over the Mangaluru bomb incident, Patil said, "It is shameful that BJP leaders are mum after the offender was identified as Hindu. If he was from a minority community, they would have reacted differently. Home Minister Basavaraj Bomai should be ashamed to claim that bomb planter was mentally-ill. He has no right to show him sympathy."
Thindi time
t was an unusual rendevouz for Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah when they came face-to-face over a plate of idli. The two leaders coincidentally, walked into the same hotel to grab some hot breakfast after R-Day celebrations in Bengaluru.
Just as Siddaramaiah finished his meal, Kharge walked into the iconic Hotel Janardhan, Race Course Road. The two leaders — whose disagreements over the appointment of Congress working presidents is stalling the process of appointing a new KPCC chief — sitting together made for the perfect Sunday snap.