A day after Siddaramaiah stepped down as Karnataka Chief Minister, Veerappa Moily, a veteran Congress leader, emphasized that Siddaramaiah was not aggrieved by the decision as the party had always accorded him respect and privilege. Moily highlighted that Siddaramaiah had served almost two terms as Chief Minister, with the Congress granting him the opportunity for a full term and an additional three years after he joined the party.
Moily pointed out that Siddaramaiah had also held the position of Leader of the Opposition within the Congress, emphasizing that the party had absorbed him and provided him with respectable roles. He reiterated that the party’s High Command had shown full respect to Siddaramaiah and clarified that Siddaramaiah willingly relinquished his post for D.K. Shivakumar after being convinced by the party leadership.
According to Moily, the Congress has a history of acknowledging its senior leaders, citing examples of former Chief Ministers like himself, S. Bangarappa, and D. Devaraj Urs. In contrast, Moily accused the JD(S) and BJP of prioritizing their own interests over others, with the JD(S) and BJP leaders primarily focusing on their party’s welfare rather than broader leadership recognition.
Moily criticized the JD(S) and BJP for allegedly neglecting leaders from marginalized communities, highlighting that the BJP had only 16 OBC MLAs among its ranks. He underscored that the Congress has consistently provided political legitimacy to its leaders, unlike its political counterparts.
