Karnataka Home Minister M B Patil
Tuesday made a pitch for Siddaramaiah "as chief minister again," but clarified the present coalition government under H D Kumaraswamy would complete its full term.
"What's wrong in that? Siddaramaiah is our leader in Congress. People want to see him as chief minister again.
"Even we too want to see him as chief minister again. He gave good governance for five years. He should have come back again," Patil told reporters here.
He was responding to a query on "growing demand" among the Congress MLAs to see Siddaramaiah occupy the top post again.
His statement resonates with Chikkaballapura Congress MLA K Sudhakar's remarks on Monday that it would be good if Siddaramaiah becomes chief minister again.
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Batting for another term for Siddaramaiah, Patil claimed the former CM brought many pro-people schemes such as farm loan waiver, irrigation schemes, programmes of 'Bhagya' series such as Anna Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya etc.
"Siddaramaiah had done a lot of good work. He deserves one more term... But we have to accept people's mandate... When we come to power on our own... but presently that question does not arise.. This government has to complete five years," he said.
"Siddaramaiah has got the eligibility (for second term as chief minister)," Patil added.
After the Congress and JD(S) formed the coalition government following the May 2018 assembly elections, Kumaraswamy took over as the chief minister of the state.
The coalition partners also fought the Lok Sabha elections together though there have been strains between the two ever since.
Many Congress MLAs were not content with the present arrangement and had stated that Siddaramaiah was their leader and they would like to see him chief minister again, an issue that has irked JD(S) leadership.
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