Sreeramulu, JD-S for defeat of CM in by-polls: Siddaramaiah

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Dec 11: Leader of the Opposition in
Karnataka Assembly and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah
today said JD-S and BJP rebel leaders and Bellary strongman B
Sreeramulu have assured support to the party to defeat Chief
Minister D V Sadnanada Gowda in the December 22 Legislative
Council bye-election.
   "We will do everything possible to defeat Sadananda Gowda
in the election to the Legislative Council... JD-S and
Sreeramulu have assured support to Congress in this regard,"
he told reporters here.
   His statement comes in the wake of internal dissensions in
the ruling BJP with Sreeramulu claiming to enjoy support of 22
BJP legislators, which is enough to bring down the government.
   Siddaramaiah said the government would fall if Gowda loses
the election. "In this possible scenario, Karnataka will
either be under President's rule or go for fresh elections,"
he said.
   He rejected former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's
request to Congress not to field a candidate for the polls,
saying, "We will not change our plans to field our candidate.
We will definitely field a candidate and make serious efforts
to defeat Sadananda Gowda."
   On the party's stand on fight against illegal mining if
Sreeramulu supports Congress to defeat Gowda, he said there is
no question of protecting him. "We will continue our fight
against illegal mining despite Sreeramulu's support,"
Siddaramiah said.
   To another query, he said there was no question of
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's resigning following
the filing of an FIR against him in the Lokayukta court for
his alleged role in dereserving forest land for illegal
mining.
   "The demand for Krishna's resignation is politically
motivated. Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has denied
his (Krishna's) role in illegal mining.... Demanding Krishna's
resignation is incorrect," Siddaramaiah said.
   He said BJP's recommendation of appointing Justice
Bannurmath for Lokayukta post has raised suspicion over its
intentions.
   The BJP government and Governor H R Bhardwaj are at
loggerheads over appointment of Justice Bannurmath as
Lokayukta as he is facing allegations of securing allotment of
a residential site in judicial layout on a land earmarked for
civic amenities.