K'taka: Siddaramaiah to join Cong after July 8

Mysore, July 1: Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) Leader Siddaramaiah today he would take a decision on joining the Congress only after July eight.

Talking to newspersons here, he said he had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi recently following an invitation and discussed with her various issues, including his joining the Congress and the present political scenario in the state. He had also held discussions with various senior Congress leaders in the capital. However, he declined to divulge the details.

Mr Siddaramaiah said he would take a decision on joining the Congress only after eliciting the opinion of his supporters, well wishers and people of his constituency. He would first hold a meet with all the top leaders of his party, including MLAs and MPs, in Bangalore on July four and visit his constituency, Chamundeswari, here on July eight.

He said there was nothing wrong in joining with the Congress to remove the ''communal'' forces from power and put an end to ''family-centric politics'' in the state.

Earlier, Mr Siddaramaiah held a meeting with AIPJD leaders, former MLAs, mayors, Zilla Panchayat members, corporators and others at his residence here. He also addressed a huge gathering in front of his residence and gave them a detailed account on his recent visit to New Delhi.

UNI