Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah on Monday expressed confidence that his party will win 15 seats in the ensuing Legislative Council polls from local authorities’ constituencies.
Fielding reporters queries, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the support BJP had sought from JD(S) will not have any bearing on the Congress party’s prospects. “We will win 15 seats. We have fielded 20 candidates for the 25 seats and we will win 15 out of them”, he said.
He said the BJP and JD(S) have had a hidden understanding in all elections and added that there was nothing new in former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa seeking the support of JD(S) now.
When his attention was drawn to the anxiety over omicron, the new variant of COVID-19, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State Government should take all steps necessary to prevent the entry of the strain into the State.
Surveillance should be stepped at the airports, bus stands, railway stations and borders of the State. “It is the government’s responsibility to prevent the entry of the new strain into the State”, he said.
He sought to caution the government against neglecting the threat and claimed that a lot of people had died during the second wave due to the ‘negligence’ by government. He claimed that people had died due to non-availability of oxygen beds and medicine. “It should not happen again. The government should screen all the people entering the State properly”, he said.
He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining absent at the all-party meeting convened ahead of the winter session of Parliament. “He has shown disrespect to democracy by keeping himself away it”, he said.
Referring to Mr. Modi’s statement that he had become the Prime Minister to serve the public, Mr. Siddaramaiah wondered what is new in it. “We become Prime Minister or Chief Minister to serve the people. Has he understood it now?”, he asked.
