Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that local Congress party workers from different parts of the State have appealed him to contest from their constituency, including Kolar, Chamarajpet, Varuna and Badami, Opposition Leader and former CM Siddharamaiah said that, however, he has left to the party High Command to decide on which constituency he should contest from in Assembly polls, which are due early next year.

Speaking to press persons here yesterday, Siddharamaiah asserted that he got a tremendous response when he visited Kolar on Saturday. Pointing out that the people of Kolar still remember the welfare programmes introduced by his Government over five years ago, the senior Congress leader said that the farmers of Kolar too were satisfied with his work as the CM. Highlighting his contributions for Kolar when he was the CM, Siddharamaiah asserted that the Congress would return to power in the State.

Hitting back at the BJP for ridiculing that the Opposition Leader was in search of a ‘safe’ constituency, Siddharamaiah said that a real leader should  have the confidence of contesting from anywhere of the 224 constituencies in the State and he has that confidence.

Observing that any eligible person can contest from anywhere in a democratic set up, he said that as such, it was his will and wish to contest from any constituency that he likes and the BJP must understand this.

Replying to a question on the saffron painting of Government School buildings, Siddharamaiah said that it is the people’s money that is being spent for the painting and not that of the BJP. Wondering whether the people had told the Government to paint the buildings in saffron, the former CM said that the Government must not do anything as per its whims and fancies and without involvement of people. Contending that the move to paint school buildings in saffron colour is nothing but an attempt to saffronise education, he said that such an action is not only unconstitutional but was also against democratic principles.

Hitting out at former CM and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy’s remark that JD(S) had given him re-birth twice, Siddharamaiah wanted to know where Kumaraswamy was when he (Siddu) entered politics. Stating that Kumaraswamy entered politics only in 1996, Siddharamaiah dismissed the JD(S) leader’s remark as childish in nature and need not be taken seriously.