Intro
B. Sriramulu said Siddaramaiah was removed and humiliated through political pressure within Congress party
Ballari
Former minister B. Sriramulu has alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was humiliated and removed from his post, claiming that the senior leader was subjected to continuous political pressure and denied a peaceful working environment over the past three years.
Speaking to reporters in Ballari, Sriramulu said that a leader who has governed the state for eight years should have been treated with respect. He alleged that political developments since the 2023 elections targeted Siddaramaiah, eventually leading to his resignation under what he described as a forced situation.
He further claimed that internal political dynamics within the Congress party gradually intensified, culminating in Siddaramaiah stepping down from the chief ministerial position. Sriramulu said he personally felt saddened after seeing the emotional condition of the veteran leader during the transition.
Indirectly criticizing Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, he alleged that power struggles within the party led to the removal of Siddaramaiah from office. He questioned the Congress leadership for sidelining an OBC leader despite publicly advocating support for backward-class leaders.
Sriramulu also pointed out that Siddaramaiah enjoys strong support in the Kalyana Karnataka region and credited him with contributing significantly to the Congress party’s electoral performance. He alleged that some leaders who benefited from Siddaramaiah’s popularity are now aligning themselves with rival factions within the party.
Comparing the situation with former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, he said Yediyurappa resigned for the sake of party interests, whereas Siddaramaiah’s case was different, claiming it was a forced political exit.
He concluded by expressing confidence in the BJP’s prospects in the 2028 elections and suggested that voters would respond to what he described as Congress’s treatment of backward-class leadership.