New Delhi/Bengaluru : Former CM Siddaramaiah's supporters gathered outside his residence in Bengaluru on Wednesday and poured milk over his poster as some sources suggested that the Congress has closed in on him for the next Karnataka Chief Minister candidate. They raised slogans in support of Siddaramaiah and one supporter was seen baring his chest to show the CM probable's tattoo.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah visited 10 Janpath to meet Rahul Gandhi. He had met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Tuesday. He has been in Delhi since Monday and three days of intense talks passed over the next Chief Minister question.
Siddaramaiah's rival contender, DK Shivakumar, had however indicated to Kharge that he will not back down in the intense tussle for the Chief Minister post with his rival. However, if the party chooses to go with Siddaramaiah for the CM's post, Shivakumar promised he will not backstab or blackmail. He is presently meeting Rahul Gandhi at Janpath, hours after the Gandhi scion's meeting with Siddaramaiah concluded.
The clamour for having Siddaramaiah for the Chief Minister's post first started on Saturday when his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah expressed confidence in his father to become the next Chief Minister. On Sunday, Bengaluru witnessed a poster war as banners in support of both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar came up in certain parts of the city mentioning their respective leaders as the next Karnataka Chief Minister.
Siddaramaiah had earlier served in the CM role during the Congress rule between 2013 and 2018. Coming from the Kuruba community, he has positioned himself as an influential 'backward classes' leader. He has relied on the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) faction for his votes and commands a mass appeal among his supporters.
