Siddaramaiah `paid` Sonia Gandhi to become CM: Karnataka BJP prez Nalin Kumar Kateel

`Siddaramaiah made payment to `madam Sonia` and retained his CM seat in the state. Through payments, only Siddaramaiah kept `madam` happy,` BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel alleged.

Vijayapura (Karnataka): BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday alleged that Siddaramaiah had "paid" Sonia Gandhi to become the chief minister of the state in 2013. He had earlier stated that Siddaramaiah will be sent to jail in the land de-notification case. "If at all there is any candidate who has become the chief minister after paying for it is Siddaramaiah. When he took over as the chief minister, Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, former DCM and senior Dalit leader G Parameshwar were senior to him," Kateel said.

He further stated that despite senior Congress leaders like present State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar and senior leader R.V. Deshapande, he (Siddaramaiah) managed to get the post. "Siddaramaiah made payment to `madam Sonia` and retained his CM seat in the state. Through payments, only Siddaramaiah kept `madam` happy," he alleged.

Reacting on PayCM campaign, Kateel said that there are two meanings to the PayCM campaign. Firstly, it refers to PayCM Siddaramaiah and another is to imply that they pay Congress madam. One who made the payment is PayCM and one who received payment is Congress madam, he ridiculed.

There is a role of Shivakumar behind the PayCM campaign. He had devised it for the downfall of Siddaramaiah. In the posters he had used CM Basavaraj Bommai`s photo but actually he wanted us to attack Siddaramaiah, Kateel stated.

Siddaramaiah had become the CM between 2013 and 2018 after Congress obtained a simple majority. Former CM B.S. Yediyurappa had formed his own party and ensured the defeat of BJP in the state.

Siddaramaiah, who had launched agitation against mining mafia in the state, had managed to come to the forefront among all senior leaders and managed to get the CM post.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leaders saying it was their insecurity about the upcoming Assembly elections that they were targetting him. "More strong, more enemies; less strong, less enemies; no strong, no enemies. Whom did they (BJP leaders) target in Doddaballapura convention organised to mark completion of one-year at office of CM Basavaraj Bommai?" Siddaramaiah questioned.