'I am a fan of Siddaramaiah': Former minister Raju Gowda

Yadgir: Former minister Raju Gowda said that he has been a supporter and admirer of Siddaramaiah since his childhood.

Speaking to reporters in Yadgir city on Saturday (May 30), he said he had grown up watching Siddaramaiah from a young age. “My father was a government employee, so I had the opportunity to observe him closely. Because I saw Siddaramaiah closely during my childhood, I have deep admiration for him,” he said.

Raju Gowda described Siddaramaiah as a “statesman of an era” and also referred to former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa as another such leader. He said both leaders have played significant roles in Karnataka politics.

He said it was Siddaramaiah who played a key role in bringing Congress to power in the state, and expressed sadness over the internal developments that led to him stepping down after long discussions.

He further said that the Congress party would not benefit in the coming days and added that the party’s strength had weakened after Siddaramaiah’s exit.

Raju Gowda also recalled his personal bond with Siddaramaiah, saying the former Chief Minister always addressed him affectionately as “Come, Raju Gowda” whenever they met.

Commenting on leadership change, he said it remains to be seen whether D K Shivakumar can match Siddaramaiah’s leadership style and administrative approach, calling it a major challenge.

He added that Siddaramaiah had been emotionally affected by earlier discussions on the Chief Minister change, and was not given full freedom to govern.

However, he finally resigned and now appears to be relieved, he said.