The Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO) debunked a fake intelligence report doing the rounds on social media that states that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will 'find it difficult to win' in Chamundeshwari assembly constituency.
The Intelligence DIG has been asked to conduct a probe into the fake report.
The report “Review of assembly constituencies by SIB, Political Desk” purportedly signed by Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence), was being shared on social media on Saturday.
It stated that Chamundeshwari was not a viable option for the Chief Minister, “The constituency of Chamundeshwari is not a viable option as there is a strong caste-based mobilisation of Vokkaliga community being carried out by G T Devegowda and other local leaders of JD(S). As requested, our recommendations for alternative options are: Varuna, Basavakalyan, Gangavati and Shantinagar.”
The CMO has issued a clarification denying that the state intelligence department had issued any such report. It also pointed out that the report is in English while state intelligence reports are usually issued in Kannada and also that the ADGP post mentioned in the report is currently vacant.
"The Intelligence department has not given any such report. The report is false and fabricated. The ADGP post in the Intelligence department is lying vacant. Moreover, the Intelligence reports are usually in Kannada, not English," the CMO explained in a press release.
Chamundeshwari constituency is of special significance for Siddaramaiah as he has won five out of seven elections he has contested from there.
Siddaramaiah first contested from the Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru district in 1983 as an independent. Since then he has contested from the seat on six other occasions, losing only twice – in 1989 when he was the Janata Dal candidate and in 1999 when he stood on a JD(S) ticket.
In 2006, Siddaramaiah resigned as Chamundeshwari MLA after being expelled by the JD(S) following differences with party leader and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda. His resignation forced a bye-election, which he then went on to win on a Congress ticket, albeit by a wafer-thin margin of 257 votes.
After the delimitation in 2008, most of the villages, which formed Siddaramaiah’s support base in Chamundeshwari, were shifted to the Varuna constituency. It was then that Siddaramaiah switched to the Varuna constituency, which he went on to win in the 2008 and 2013 Assembly Elections.
But Siddaramaiah has indicated that he will contest once again from Chamundeshwari constituency paving the way for his son Dr. Yathindra to contest from Varuna.
Siddaramaiah has also extensively campaigned in Chamundeshwari constituency visiting several villages in the last few weeks.