Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister, who had on Friday expressed his desire to become CM again, said the Congress would return to power after the next elections.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Saturday, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to justify his statement made in Holenarsipur on Friday, expressing his desire to become CM of the State again. “Our party will return to power after winning the next elections,” he said and added that the next elections would be held only after the present term ends in five years.
Referring to the statement he made on Friday that kicked off a debate in political and media circles, he said the media was free to draw its own interpretation.
Those at the programme in Holenarsipura in Hassan placed a list of demands before him. “To fulfil those demands, I told them that our party will have to come to power. Can I say that we will not come to power,” he asked.
He urged the Centre to announcement a special package for Kodagu that has been struck badly by rain, floods and landslides recently.
“It is the worst disaster to have struck Kodagu since the Independence,” Mr Siddaramaiah said and added that he had visited several affected places in Kodagu and spoken to the victims of the floods. “Roads are damaged, connectivity has been disrupted, children are unable to go to school and farmlands have been damaged badly,” he said.
Referring to Minister for Defence Nirmala Seetharaman’s visit to Kodagu on Friday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Defence Minister should announced a special package to Kodagu.
He also found fault with Pratap Simha, MP, Mysuru, for his failure to ensure such an announcement was made by the Defence Minister for Kodagu.
The former CM said he was leaving on a tour to London shortly with his son Yathindra, MLA, and Ministers K.J. George and R.V. Deshpande, and Govindaraju, MLC.