The statement of Congress MLA from Gubbi S.R. Srinivas at an election meeting in Tumakuru district has raised eyebrows.
Campaigning on behalf of Congress candidate for Tumakuru S.P. Mudduhanume Gowda, Mr. Srinivas appealed to voters to elect a maximum number of Congress MPs, failing which “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will have to resign taking moral responsibility for the party’s bad performance.”
Given that Mr. Srinivas, formerly with JD(S), is perceived to be close to KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, this statement has again led to speculations about leadership change after the Lok Sabha elections. Following this incident, several BJP leaders stated that it yet again underlines the divisions within the Congress.