Siddarmaiah fears violence in Assembly by-poll in Chamundeshwari

Bangalore, Nov 22 (UNI) Congress leader Siddaramaiah today feared violence in the byelection to the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysore to be held on December four.

The byelection was necessitated following resignation by Siddaramaiah after he quit the Janata Dal (Secular) to join Congress.

Speaking to newsmen here he said JD(S) leaders were camping in the area and unnecessarily creating tension in several areas in the constituency to confuse the people and provoke them to indulge in violence. He doubted that there might not be a 'free and fair' byelection as the Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa themselves would be camping in the constituency and engage in election malpractices through official machinery. He had already written to the Election Commission four times in this regard, he pointed out saying that despite the code of conduct the Chief Minister had continued to make promises to the voters in the constituency.

Replying to queries he said the outcome of the byelection would return him to the assembly. However, it might not be a referrendum to the government. But Mr Kumaraswamy had no moral right to continue in power as he went about telling the people in the constituency that he might lose power if his candidate was defeated in the byelection.

He took exception to the statement made by Mr Yediyurappa against him recalling his stand on Udupi Mutt and said his attempt was to set people of one particular Community against him in the bye-election. He reiterated that he had only fought for certain issue and was not against the community.

He said he had edge over his opponents in fray. It would be a triangular contest and the people had decided to 'bless me'. The 'pseudo secularism' of JD(S) would also be exposed in the byelection, he remarked.

UNI SR RKN1422