"I did not quit JD(S)...I was expelled," said former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (File Photo)
Attacked time and again over shifting loyalty from JD(S) to Congress, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Saturday clarified that he was expelled from that party by former prime minister and its chief HD Deve Gowda.
"They (BJP) ask why Siddaramaiah quit JD(S) and joined Congress. I did not quit JD(S)...I was expelled. You must know the truth...I was expelled from the JD(S) by Mr Deve Gowda for my AHINDA activities. Now you know, I believe," Siddaramaiah told reporters at Kalaburagi.
AHINDA in Kannada stands for minorities, backward castes and Dalits.
The senior Congress leader was canvassing for party candidate Subhash Rathod, contesting the bypoll from Chincholi assembly constituency.
The Chincholi seat fell vacant after disgruntled Congress assembly lawmaker Umesh Jadhav resigned from the assembly to join the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested the Lok Sabha election from Gulbarga where he had a direct fight with Congress stalwart Mallikarjun Kharge.
The BJP gave ticket to Mr Jadhav's son Avinash Jadhav to contest from Chincholi Assembly constituency, where election is due on May 19.
While addressing a public meeting two days ago, Mr Siddaramaiah attacked Mr Jadhav, saying a "traitor" alone would ditch the party, which is like a mother.
In retaliation, BJP lawmaker and former deputy chief minister R Ashok had sought to know why Siddaramaiah quit the JD(S) and joined the Congress.
To this, Mr Siddaramaiah said Mr Ashok knew nothing as there were lots of dissimilarities between Umesh Jadhav quitting the Congress and joining the BJP and him leaving the JD(S) and joining the grand old party.
The comparison was "improper," he added.