Impossible To Remove Me From Power As Long As I Have...: Siddaramaiah

Hitting out at the BJP, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that it is impossible to remove him from power as long as he has the blessings of the people.

He said this while speaking at an event in Koujalagi town in Belagavi district, where he inaugurated freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna's statue, and the Rayanna Fort.

The event was attended by several leaders, including Ministers Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Satish Jarkiholi, MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Siddaramaiah said: "Sangolli Rayanna, a loyal warrior of Rani Chennamma, was a valiant hero. When the British attacked Rani Chennamma's court, it was Rayanna's fight and bravery that led to victory.

"Even though he lost the second battle, Rayanna escaped the clutches of the British and formed a guerrilla army, continuing to wage guerrilla warfare that troubled the British greatly. However, it was our own people who betrayed Rayanna and handed him over to the British. Due to this betrayal by our own people, Rayanna fell into the hands of the British. They knew that Rayanna would not be armed while swimming, making it easy to capture him... it was our people who gave the British this idea," he added.

"Such traitors still exist among us. The BJP is continuously plotting to dethrone Siddaramaiah. But as long as I have your blessings, it is impossible to remove me from power," the senior Congress leader said.

Further criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Karnataka Chief Minister said: "The BJP's ancient ideology is that a person from the backward community should not become the CM or hold power. That is why they are hatching a dangerous conspiracy against me even though I have done nothing wrong. However, as long as the people's blessings are with me, their conspiracy will not succeed," he asserted.

The BJP has declared that it won't stop the protests until Siddaramaiah resigns as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave the nod to open an investigation against him in connection with the MUDA land scam.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)