Karnataka Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday said that his relationship with Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar is cordial and there are no differences between him and DK Shivakumar.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "My relationship with DK Shivakumar is cordial. There are no differences between us. Of course, differences exist in democracy but it is not detrimental to the interests of the party".
He also said that the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections is going to be his last electoral battle and he will retire from politics.
Mr Siddaramaiah said, "I am contesting from Varuna assembly constituency as my native village comes under this constituency. This is going to be my last election. I will retire from electoral politics."
Mr Siddaramaiah further added that he will still be in active politics but after this election, he won't accept any posts which will be in Delhi.
"I am contesting from Varuna (assembly constituency) as it has been cleared by the party's high command. It's not that I am interested to contest but Kolar people want me to contest from there", he said.
Mr Siddaramaiah said that Congress is expecting more than 130 seats this time.
"We are expecting more than 130 seats this time and Congress Party will come to power with a comfortable majority on its own. People have decided to change the government", he added.
Hitting out at the state government's decision to ban reservation of Muslims in the state, Siddaramaiah said "Recategorising (of reservation) is not proper, not constitutional. It is not valid... We've no objection to increasing the reservation of Vokkaliga & Lingayat but why you abolished the reservation of Muslims... It clearly shows vendetta, hate politics."
Congress on Thursday announced its second list of 42 candidates, for the Karnataka assembly elections but no decision has yet been taken on who would contest from Kolar even as Siddaramaiah has expressed a desire to contest from the constituency.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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