Siddaramaiah offended by presence of JDS flags during Shivakumar's welcome in Bengaluru

With Karnataka by-polls around the corner, JD(S) party flags were seen along with Congress flags while welcoming Congress leader DK Shivakumar who was released from Tihar Jail on October 23

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah has expressed his discontent over the presence of JD(S) flags during the welcome of party leader DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru after the Congress leader was released from Tihar Jail on October 23.

"What kind of message were we giving when DK Shivakumar came to Bengaluru, and JD(S) flags were shown along with Congress flags? What kind of message goes out when this happens despite the JD(S) being told to stay away?" Siddaramaiah said on Monday (October 28) while raising the issue with his supporters.

Former Periyapatna MLA K Venkatesh also supported Siddaramaiah.

Earlier, on Saturday, Shivakumar arrived in Bengaluru and was welcomed by his supporters. He was released from Tihar Jail after the Delhi high court granted him bail. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Shivakumar on September 3.

Siddaramaiah had previously said that if Congress wins 15 seats in the by-polls chief minister BS Yediyurappa must tender his resignation, and that the Congress will go in for fresh elections without forming an alliance with the JD(S) again.

Congress and JD(S) ran a coalition government for 14 months which fell in July this year following a series of resignations from MLAs.