CM firm that ministers would have to take LS poll plunge if local leaders favoured their names
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asserted that ministers would have no choice but to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls if that was the overwhelming opinion of local MLAs and party leaders, setting off worries in sections of ministers who are loath to the idea.
The CM, responding to queries at Malavalli in Mandya district over social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa’s public refusal to contest the LS polls, said the party would go by the recommendation of the local MLAs, party candidates who lost the assembly polls, as well as block, and district presidents. Be it Mahadevappa or any other minister, the party would give the ticket to whoever the local leaders wanted, the CM said, suggesting that the ministers would have to take the plunge if the situation demanded that.
The social welfare minister had, on Saturday, told the media that he did not want to contest the polls when he was told his name was among the potential candidates the party’s survey had revealed. A displeased Mahadevappa said the survey should probably also include the names of the CM and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar as they were also competent and popular leaders to contest the LS election.
The minister was responding to a comment by Shivakumar, who is also the president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, that ministers will have to be ready to sacrifice their ministerial positions if the party wants them to do so. There have been reports suggesting that the Congress was considering fielding Mahadevappa from Chamarajanagar (SC) seat. If he were
