Bidar: The Congress has full faith in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the next Assembly polls will be fought under his leadership, the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh has said. He was addressing a party workers’ rally organised to felicitate Minister Eshwar Khandre here on Thursday.

“Mr. Siddaramaiah is among the best chief ministers who have ruled Karnataka. He has introduced several welfare programmes for the poor and the deprived. He has announced three progressive budgets and successfully fought the drought through programmes like Kere Sanjivini and schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. He has released enough funds for the development of Hyderabad Karnataka. He has not lost sight of industrial development too. What is more, he is the only leader who can successfully counter leaders like B.S. Yeddyurappa, who are out to divide the society on communal lines,” Mr. Singh said.

He denied claims by some leaders that he was behind Mr. Khandre’s elevation to the Cabinet.

“Mr. Khandre has the support of the people of Bidar. That has made him a Minister,” Mr. Singh said.

“Every Cabinet reshuffle is bound to disappoint some leaders. However, such things should not upset people like us who are in public service. Politics is a waiting game. We should not be disappointed with minor road blocks,” he said, without referring to Rajshekar Patil, Humnabad MLA, who is upset for non-inclusion in the Cabinet. Mr. Patil did not attend the rally.

Backward Classes leader B. Narayan Rao said that it was wrong to say that all the Lingayats in the State were supporting the BJP because of the influence of leaders like Mr. Yeddyurappa. Leaders like Mr. Khandre would counter such influences. “Mr. Khandre has the potential to become Chief Minister of Karnataka in future,” Mr. Rao said.

Mr. Khandre vowed to develop the district and work on improving urban local bodies in the district.

“There are several government schemes already in place to develop Bidar district. I will ensure that they will be properly implemented,” he said. He thanked Mr. Singh, Rahim Khan, MLA, and Mr. Rao for their support. Earlier, Mr Khandre’s supporters took out a bike rally.