Should I remain CM or not? Siddu makes fervent appeal to Varuna voters in LS poll

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: Amid speculation about leadership change, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asked people of his Varuna assembly segment to give the Congress candidate a lead of at least 60,000 votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, to ensure that he remains in the post.

"In 2019 (Lok Sabha polls) Dhruvanarayan (Congress candidate) lost by a margin of only 1,817 votes.... This time in the Assembly you made me win by giving a lead of 48,000 votes (in Varuna). Will you give the same lead or more now? (Our candidate should win ) with a lead of at least 60,000 votes," Siddaramaiah said.

Addressing a public meeting, he said: "In Varuna you know me, as well as (H C) Mahadevappa (Minister). I'm your representative, (my son) Yathindra is a former MLA from here (Varuna). When we are all there there should be a lead of at least 60,000 votes."

"If you make (Congress candidate) victorious by a lead of 60,000 votes, I will be happy. No one will be able to touch me. Should I remain (as CMhief Minister) or not? So I request you with folded hands...I will come back to thank you after winning," he added.

Siddarmaiah's Varuna assembly seat is under Chamarajanagar constituency, from where Minister Mahadevappa's son Sunil Bose is the Congress candidate.

Meanwhile, asking voters to support Congress in the Vokkaliga bastion of Mandya, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said: "I want to tell you that, keeping me in mind, you gave more seats (in assembly polls to Congress) in Mandya district. Your desire will not turn out to be false. You need not worry."