Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday clarified that Congress national general secretary and state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had not "officiated" any meeting of the government and city civic body officials, dismissing the claims made by the opposition BJP and the JD(S).
Siddaramaiah's reaction came as the BJP has sought an appointment with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to complain against Surjewala allegedly "officiating" a meeting with the senior bureaucrats of the state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
"Surjewala did not officiate any meeting. He has only spoken to some MLAs. The Deputy Chief Minister (D K Shivakumar) was present there. It was a meeting which the DCM had attended," Siddaramaiah told reporters. "You must understand that it is not an official meeting. The Bengaluru city MLAs were summoned for the Bengaluru civic body election where he (Surjewala) had also gone," the Chief Minister said.
The meeting was regarding issues prevailing in Bengaluru city. Contextually, there were discussions about the (civic body) elections, Siddaramaiah said.
The DCM was going to inspect the Hebbal flyover in the city and Surjewala was also asked to attend it. Meanwhile, a BJP delegation comprising Members of Parliament from the city and the former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka has sought an appointment with the Governor.