Karnataka Elections 2023: Former CM Siddaramaiah Reveals Why He Was Expelled From JD(S)

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and current leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Siddaramaiah has often been accused of changing loyalties ever since he joined the Congress. He left the JD(S) in 2005 and initially wanted to float his own political party, but was not able to do so. He ultimately joined the Congress in 2006 at a public meeting held in Bengaluru. However, Siddaramaiah has always maintained that it was not of his own free will that he left the JD(S). In a recent rally at Lingadevara Koppalu village in Mysuru, he said that he had been expelled from the JD(S) by national president of the party HD Deve Gowda.

“Deve Gowda expelled me from the party for the sole reason that I held an AHINDA convention,” Siddaramaiah said. He also recalled that during the coalition government formed by JD(S) and Congress in 2004, with Dharam Singh as Chief Minister, he was demoted from the post of Deputy Chief Minister. AHINDA in Kannada stands for minorities, backward castes and Dalits.

“In the 2018 elections, JD(S)-BJP defeated us by making an internal agreement. But, this time it won’t happen. Our Congress workers have decided to defeat BJP and JD(S). This time too BJP and JDS are likely to make an internal pact,” Siddharamaiah said.

Claiming that the JD(S) only had strength in seven or eight districts of Mysore part and had no power in northern Karnataka, he pointed out how JD(S) had never come to power on its own in the state and had always formed a coalition government. “The party won 10 seats in 1999, 59 seats in 2004, 29 seats in 2008, 40 seats in 2013 and last time it won 39 seats. But, Kumaraswamy is going around claiming that JD(S) will win 120 seats and form the government on its own. It is not possible,” he said. He affirmed that the Congress would get a majority and form the government in Karnataka.

The Karnataka Assembly election is scheduled to be held in April-May this year. While all the parties are gearing up for the election, JD(S) has already announced the candidates for 93 of the total 224 Assembly seats.

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