Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slaps supporter in Bengaluru. Video

Former Karnataka chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah has found himself in the middle of a controversy after a video of him slapping a supporter went viral. The senior Congress leader was reportedly irked by repeated questions from the supporter, who had come to meet him at his residence in Bengaluru on Friday.

The incident took place when Siddaramaiah was wading through a crowd of supporters and was asked about his ticket, some reports said. He can be seen slapping the supporter in the video, which has been shared on social media sites by multiple users.

There was uncertainty over where the Congress stalwart would contest from in the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, until the party put out its first list of 124 candidates on Saturday, placing Siddaramaiah in his home constituency Varuna, in Mysuru.

The former CM had announced in January that he will contest from Kolar, however, the Congress high command had asked him to drop his plan and fight from Varuna instead, as a survey report showed hostile situation for Siddaramaiah in Kolar. After this, a horde of his supporters had gathered outside his residence in Bengaluru on Tuesday, staging a protest and asking him to fight from Kolar.

Over this, Siddaramaiah said that his family had advised him to contest from the Varuna constituency, which is currently represented by his son Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah.

“My family has advised me to contest from the Varuna constituency in Mysuru in the upcoming assembly polls. I have asked the high command to clear Varuna. The family members also advised me to contest from one more constituency, I have left it to the high command,” he told reporters in Chitradurga.

“Invitations have been received from 25 constituencies of the state to contest the elections. All those sides cannot compete. The family felt that it would be appropriate to contest in Varuna. I have informed the party to finalize the Varuna ticket. The decision is up to the high command,” he added.

(With ANI inputs)