K.R. Nagar: Senior Congress leader Adagur H. Vishwanath seems to have finally made up his mind to quit Congress party. Weeks after rumours spread regarding his imminent exit, Vishwanath yesterday publicly announced that he is quitting the grand old party after decades of association. And without fail, he mentioned   that Chief Minister Siddharamaiah forced him to take this “painful” decision.

He said that he would quit Congress within a week and that he has not decided on which party to join. Vishwanath was speaking at a meeting organised by Vishwanath Abhimanigala Balaga at Sangolli Rayanna Samudaya Bhavana in K.R. Nagar.

“I was overjoyed when Siddharamaiah became the Chief Minister and I had used all my political experience to convince the Congress High Command to accommodate him from the JD(S). Now I am leaving the Congress with a lot of pain inflicted by the same person,” the former MP said.

“I am yet to take a decision on joining other party and I will hold discussions with my followers and friends and take a suitable decision at the right time,” he said. “I have been with the Congress for more than 40 years. I have helped many get political recognition including Siddharamaiah. Congress is like my mother. I had dreamt of becoming the Chief Minister. But I sacrificed my desire and became instrumental in making Siddharamaiah the CM. Now, I am leaving the party only because of him,” Vishwanath said with tears in his eyes.

“I have been hurt and insulted by Siddharamaiah and the Congress High Command has no powers to set right the confusion within the party and Siddharamaiah is treated as the  undisputed leader though many loyal party workers have left for greener pastures,” he charged.

“I had spoken to Sonia Gandhi, S.M. Krishna, Dharam Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders and convinced them to take in Siddharamaiah into Congress, when he (Siddharamaiah) had identified himself with the Ahinda Movement and had come out of the JD(S).

“Siddharamaiah must remember that during the last Assembly elections he won in Chamundeshwari Constituency due to dissidence activities within the BJP.  Siddharamaiah has cleverly used Congress to further his political ambitions,” he alleged and added that Siddharamaiah changed after becoming the CM and he has been taken over by the intoxication of power.

“This led to difference of opinion between us and caused a rift. I was unnecessarily dragged into his expensive watch controversy. Siddharamaiah did not even have the courtesy of visiting me in the hospital when I was ill,” said Vishwanath.

Alleging that the CM had conspired to finish him politically, the former MP said, “It is not possible to finish me off politically. But, Siddharamaiah is all set to finish off the Congress.”