DK Shivakumar also said the Conress will not need to team up withh the JDS.
Dismissing suggestions of any fissures in the Congress over who will get to be Chief Minister if the party wins the Karnataka elections in May, state unit chief DK Shivakumar has said he did not doubt that the party leadership would reward loyalty and hard work.
"I have been a loyal party man, never betrayed the party... We will deliver Karnataka then we leave it to the high command. High command has always stood by the people who stand by the party. We believe in them. I have confidence in our leadership," he told NDTV when asked about his aspirations to become the Chief Minister if the Congress wins the polls.
The 60-year-old, often credited with being one of its top troubleshooters, said that he had taken over the party when it was in a weak position and had worked tirelessly to revive it. "I have not slept and travelled every nook and corner of the state and taken all along. We have built a strong organisation and a united front against the BJP," Mr Shivakumar said.
He dismissed the reports of infighting and rivalry with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also seen as a contender for the top post. He said that they were working together and that the BJP was playing mischief and trying to divide them. He also blamed a section of the media for spreading false rumours. "We are all together. We have a common goal of defeating the BJP and restoring the dignity of Karnataka," he said.
"We have reached a consensus on 175 seats, and we are very confident we will get nearly 140 seats in this election," the Congress leader said.
He also ruled out any possibility of having an understanding with the Janata Dal (Secular), which is led by former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. He said that there was no question of any alliance and that the JDS had betrayed the people twice by joining hands with the BJP without a mandate. He said that Mr Kumaraswamy had failed to deliver on his promises and that the people had seen through him. "We will not have an alliance with the JDS. We will fight them tooth and nail," he said.
He also attacked the BJP and its leader BS Yediyurappa, who resigned as Chief Minister in July after being asked to step down by the central leadership. He said that Mr Yediyurappa was "very upset" and that his tears after losing the Chief Minister post were now being felt by the people. He said that Mr Yediyurappa was not the Chief Ministerial face of the BJP and that the party was trying to project Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he could not deliver in Karnataka.