the Congress party is also committed to implementation of the Sadashiva Commission report on internal reservation, but only after taking all the stakeholders into confidence, said former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Fielding reporters’ queries in H.D. Kote near here on Tuesday, he said he had made it clear when the matter was discussed in the party.
A few sections in the Scheduled Castes like Banjaras and Bhovis were opposing the implementation of the report. “So, we had to take them into confidence”, he said while claiming that the protests against internal reservation from parts of the State were on account of the failure of the BJP government to take everybody into confidence.
Mr. Siddaramaiah also sought to know why the BJP government had not placed the report in the State Legislature. “Till date, the report has not been placed in the Assembly”, he said.
Though he was not opposed to the implementation of the Sadashiva Commission report on internal reservation, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he was not pleased with the manner in which it was implemented.
With regard to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s accusation that the Congress was responsible for the incidents involving throwing of stones on former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s house, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mr. Bommai’s accusation was politically motivated. Mr. Yediyurappa has not accused the Congress of playing a role in the attack on his house, Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out.
YATHINDRA
Responding to queries, Mr. Siddaramaiah dismissed the possibility of Varuna MLA Yathindra contesting the elections from adjoining Chamundeshwari assembly segment in the coming polls. “Yathindra will not contest from anywhere. He will campaign for me in Varuna”, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who reiterated that he plans to contest from two constituencies viz. Varuna and Kolar, said he wishes to contest his last elections from Varuna Assembly segment that encompasses his native village Siddaramanahundi.
“I want to contest the elections from where I was born and brought up. I began my politics from there and wish to end it there”, he said adding that he had contested elections from Varunain 2008 and 2013.
He said he plans to contest the elections from Kolar as well because the people of the constituency are bringing pressure on him for the same.
To another question on the alleged secret understanding between BJP and JD (S) in some constituencies during the 2018 Assembly polls, Mr. Siddaramaiah said it will not be surprising if such a “match-fixing” takes place even during the coming elections.
