Mysore/Mysuru: Amid continuing speculation over a possible change in leadership in the State, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he would continue in office if the Congress High Command asks him to do so.

Speaking to press persons this afternoon at the helipad in Pillahalli in Varuna Constituency, which he represents, Siddaramaiah reiterated that the decision on the leadership issue rests entirely with the party High Command. “The decision of the High Command is what matters to me. I have full faith in the party leadership. People across the State want me to complete the full term, but ultimately it is the High Command that will decide,” he said. The CM added that if allowed to continue, he would present two more Budgets during the remaining two years of the current Assembly term.

Defending the State Government’s borrowings, Siddaramaiah said, it was natural for Governments to take loans to fund development works and welfare programmes.

“I have borrowed within the State’s fiscal limits. These loans are not a burden on the people. Do BJP leaders know how much Prime Minister Modi has borrowed in the 12 years since coming to power?” he asked.

Rejecting criticism from BJP leaders that the State Budget was hollow and impractical, he said that the Budget was not focused on any single community and had provisions benefiting all sections of society.

‘Filature factory will not be shut down’

MLC Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who also spoke to the media, asserted that the T. Narasipur Silk Filature Factory would not be closed under any circumstances.

Pointing out that many of the factory workers are from the Varuna Assembly segment, he said rumours about its closure were baseless and were being spread to create unnecessary confusion among the public.

He said that the State Government had sought a technical report regarding the proposed construction of a stadium on the factory premises.

“If the report points to any problems or hurdles for the functioning of the existing factory, the stadium project will be shifted to another suitable location. Both the factory and the stadium are important to us,” he said.

Reassuring workers and the public, the MLC said, the factory would not be shut down for the sake of constructing a stadium.