Assembly speaker and senior Congress leader KB Koliwad lashed out at caretaker Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and accused him of destroying the party in the state. Few other Congress leaders too have expressed displeasure over Siddaramaiah’s election strategies and the party’s decision to join hands with JD(S). Koliwad, who lost the assembly elections from Ranebennur in North Karnataka, accused Siddaramaiah of helping an independent candidate who won from Ranebennur. Speaking to mediapersons at his residence in the city, Koliwad urged the party leadership to keep Siddaramaiah away from Congress.
Koliwad said Siddaramaiah is not an original Congressman and he had opposed the party’s decision to give him a ticket to contest the elections. “I got the ticket after contacting our party president Rahul Gandhi. No one can take any action against me as I am a born Congressman,” Koliwad said, while responding to a question if the party would initiate disciplinary action against him for speaking against the Chief Minister.