Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister and Congress legislator MB Patil on Tuesday made a pitch for Siddaramaiah "as chief minister again," but claimed that present coalition government under HD Kumaraswamy would complete its full term.
"What's wrong in that. Siddaramaiah is our leader in Congress. People want to see him as chief minister again.
Read | EC finds Smriti's charge of booth capturing false
"Even we too want to see him as chief minister again. He gave good governance for five years. He should have come back again," Patil told reporters. He was responding to a query on "growing demand" among the Congress MLAs to see Siddaramaiah occupy the top post again. His statement resonates with Chikkaballapura Congress MLA K Sudhakar's remarks on Monday that it would be good if Siddaramaiah becomes chief minister again.
Batting for another term for Siddaramaiah, Patil claimed the former CM brought many pro-people schemes such as farm loan waiver, irrigation schemes, programmes of 'Bhagya' series such as Anna Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya and Ksheera Bhagya.
"Siddaramaiah had done a lot of good work. He deserves one more term but we have to accept people's mandate as it can happen when we come to power on our own. Presently that question does not arise. This government has to complete five years," he said. "Siddaramaiah has got the eligibility," Patil added.
Read | Hyderabad: 4 arrested, Rs 1.43 cr illegal tobacco seized
After the Congress and JD(S) formed the coalition government following the May 2018 assembly elections, Kumaraswamy took over as the chief minister of the state. The coalition partners also fought the Lok Sabha elections together amidst strained relation between the two.
Several Congress MLAs in the ruling coalition of the state were not content with the present arrangement and have repeatedly stated that Siddaramaiah was their leader and they would like to see him chief minister again. However this has irked JD(S) leadership.
