Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah released ‘Mysuru-Chamarajanagara Rajakeeya Itihasa’ (Political History of Mysuru-Chamarajanagar) authored by senior journalist Amshi Prasanna Kumar at an event held at Kalamandira on Dec.8.

Addressing the gathering, Siddharamaiah stressed on the need of professional ethics and integrity for every working individual without which that individual has no value in the society. A journalist must look at thinks impartially to make an impact on the readers. “The basic quality of a journalist is that he must be dispassionate and must be free of corruption,” he said.

Opining superstition must not affect a journalist, the CM cited the example where it was believed that if any CM visits Chamarajanagar, he will lose power. “I have visited Chamarajanagar a couple of times but see I am still in power. This made me stronger and I developed a will to oppose any form of superstition,” he said.

The CM said superstition, caste, money, muscle power will not work in politics. “Only the love and trust gained by the leaders will help them emerge victorious,” he said.

When one of his supporters from the audience said that he (Siddharamaiah) should become the Prime Minister, the CM said, “I was defeated twice in Lok Sabha elections and consider it a bad experience in my political career. I fear Lok Sabha elections.”

Siddharamaiah added that he had contested from Mysuru Lok Sabha segment from Lok Dal party in 1980 and from Koppal Lok Sabha seat in 1991. “When I contested from Lok Dal, the party chief Chaudhary Charan Singh had sent Rs. 1 lakh for election expenses. But, only Rs. 50,000 reached me. As there was no money to spend, Professor K. Ramdas, Mahesh and I went into hiding at Nagarahole National Park. I obtained only 8,000 votes and lost the election,” Siddharamaiah recalled.

District In-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa was the chief guest. MLA Vasu presided over the event. Minister Dr. Geetha Mahadevaprasad, Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Marithibbegowda, MP R. Dhruvanarayan, MLAs K. Venkatesh, G.T. Devegowda and MLC R. Dharmasena were present.

The book, published by Chinthana Chithara, has 748 pages with 250 chapters. Priced at Rs.500 (original cost Rs.900), the book covers elections from 1952 to the recently held 2017 Nanjangud and Gundlupet by-polls.