Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday went a step further to assert himself. He declared that he would continue as the chief minister post-2018 Assembly elections.

Siddaramaiah, after leading the party to victory in the Gundlupet and Nanjangud Assembly bypolls, had said that he would contest the next Assembly elections to prevent the BJP from coming to power. Later, he said he would lead the Congress in the polls. And, now he has said he would be the next chief minister.

AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday had said in Hubballi that Siddaramaiah would lead the party in the polls but the Congress legislature party meeting would decide the next chief minister. State Congress resident G Parameshwara, however, has often said that the party believes in collective leadership and the high command would take all important decisions. Siddaramaiah, who laid the foundation for a project to supply drinking water to 110 villages in the BBMP limits, said if he remains the chief minister for the next term, then his focus would be reviving the Garden City, Bengaluru.

'Maatu thappada maga'

Taking a dig at the BJP, the chief minister said he was constantly being targeted during the bypolls in the Nanjangud and Gundlupet. "People have taught them (BJP) a lesson. I never criticise or target anyone. And I do not follow Gujarat/Uttar Pradesh model. My focus has always been development of Karnataka and that is the only path I follow," he said and described himself 'Maatu Thappada Maga' (the one who has kept his words).

He said his government works for all sections of the society and not just Ahinda (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) as slammed by a few.