Will Siddaramaiah be Karnataka CM if Congress wins? Parameshwar has this answer

The debate on who would be the chief minister of Karnataka if the Congress wins appears to be never ending. The Karnataka Congress chief, Dr. G Parameshwar has thrown the debate wide open by saying CM later, win first.

With the Congress facing trouble over ticket distribution, he asserted that it would not have any bearing on its poll prospects, holding that the candidates were selected "systematically" considering ground realities.

On the possibility of him becoming the chief minister, Parameshwara said the matter concerning chief ministership will be decided later.

On the poll prospects of the chief minister from Chamudeshwari constituency in Mysuru where the fight is expected to be a tough one, he said Siddaramaiah will win, "The first priority before all of us, including me and Siddaramaiah, is to win 113 seats (out of the 224 in the Assembly) to form the government. Later, the issue of chief minister will be dealt with.

I can assure you, Siddaramaiah will win Chamudeshwari hands down," the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief told PTI.

Before the Assembly polls in 2013, Parameshwara was expected to be a contender for the chief minister's post but lost the election.

The Congress has been projecting Siddaramaiah as its face in the campaign but has not named him as the chief ministerial candidate.

On discontent over ticket allocation which manifested in ugly protests marked by violence in some places, he said the Congress would win despite unease among some supporters of party leaders who did not get tickets this time.

"Protests staged by some supporters of disgruntled leaders who did not get tickets, will not have any bearing on the party's electoral prospects.

We are going to win despite this," he said.

The tickets have been distributed systematically considering ground realities poll prospects of the candidates, Parameshwara said.

On the suggestion mooted by some party leaders about Siddaramaiah contesting from Chamudeshwari and Badami seats, he said the chief minister did not aspire to contest from two constituencies.