"Neither I Nor My Son Will...": Siddaramaiah On Lok Sabha Elections

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said BJP MP Pratap Simha is scared and that is why he is saying that my son Yathindra will contest against him in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency.

The chief minister said the decision to give tickets are based on the recommendations of MLAs, local leaders and party office bearers of the constituencies and not based on individual choice.

"Pratap Simha (Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP) is scared, that's why he is saying that Yathindra will contest. Neither I nor Yathindra have said that he (Yathindra) will contest the election," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

The chief minister said state Urban Development Minister Suresha B S (Byrathi) has been appointed as an observer for Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency.

Suresha has submitted his report on the possible candidates based on which the decision will be taken, he explained.

The chief minister's reaction comes after Simha recently said Yathindra may be fielded from Mysuru.

The BJP MP had expressed his apprehension when his brother Vikram Simha was arrested in a tree felling case.

Accusing Siddaramaiah of framing his brother unnecessarily in a false case, he alleged that the CM is defaming him through this case to prepare the ground for his son Yathindra to contest from the Mysuru-Kodagu constituency against him.

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