B.B.Chimmanakatti asks former CM to contest from Varuna in 2023 polls

Badami (Bagalkot District), Dec. 7- In an embarrassing moment for Opposition Leader and former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, senior Congress leader from Badami and former Minister B.B. Chimmanakatti  questioned the former CM  on why he opted for Badami while he had every chance of winning from Varuna Assembly segment in his home district of Mysuru in the last Assembly polls.

Addressing a Congress party poll rally for the MLC polls  at Badami yesterday, Chimmanakatti, who was a prominent Minister in R. Gundu Rao Cabinet in the 1980s, said that Siddharamaiah was not welcome in Badami anymore.

Asking Siddharamaiah to contest from his home district, Chimmanakatti, a five-time MLA from Badami, observed that the former CM would have easily won from Varuna had he contested the seat in the 2018 polls. Wondering why Siddu chose to contest from Chamundeshwari Assembly segment, which he eventually lost, the former Minister opined that Siddu’s contest from Badami had deprived opportunities for local leaders.

Asserting that he would contest from Badami as the Congress candidate in the next Assembly polls, Chimmanakatti  also expressed his disappointment that the former CM did not keep his word on making him (Chimmanakatti) an MLC. He reiterated that Siddharamaiah should contest from Varuna in the 2023 polls.

Though Siddharamaiah was present on the dais, he chose not to respond to Chimmanakatti’s remarks targeting  him.