Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah is confident that his party will be able to retain power after next year’s assembly polls. Congress will use Karnataka’s model of inclusive growth to win future elections, the CM tellsin an exclusive interview. Excerpts:Congress will retain Karnataka in 2018 due to my government’s achievements. What does the BJP have for the people to vote for it? They don’t even have candidates in several constituencies. We are capable of countering even the Uttar Pradesh model in Karnataka. If BJP is so strong, why is it admitting people from Congress and JD(S)? We will demonstrate our true strength in the upcoming bypolls to two assembly seats on April 9.The people of all five states where polls were held recently voted against ruling parties. In UP, the secular votes were divided. This is limited to that election and will not happen again. If there is such a Modi wave in the country, why did it not show in Punjab or Goa ? He campaigned in both places. Was the Modi wave blocked at UP’s borders?It is only the media that is talking of reforms and Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. There is nothing like that within the party. There is no need to change the leadership. After each election, we learn lessons and rectify our mistakes. Even in 2004 and 2009, Rahul Gandhi was our leader. One election loss does not mean there is no leadership. In UP, Mayawati , whose party thought it would form the government, won only 29 seats. She has been a CM several times. Does the loss mean she is not a leader? Sometimes, these things happen. Even Vajpayee lost despite the ‘India Shining’ campaign in 2004.The mandate was for Congress, but the BJP used money and power. Sometimes, strategies fail. It happens to all political parties. If not, Vajpayee would not have lost the trust vote.Our party unit in Gujarat is very confident. Congress still has the strength to win. It is the party that wins, not individuals. Captain Amarinder Singh was there with us when we lost. This time, he has led Congress to a win. The Congress will also use our government’s flagship programmes in other states. The Karnataka model of inclusive growth can be showcased to win elections here and elsewhere. It is what the Congress believes in.I don’t think he can build the Ram temple. Kalyan Singh came to power promising to build it, so did Rajnath Singh . Why didn’t they? Of course, if it is resolved out of court, we have no objection at all. But I think, BJP will never solve any issue. It will keep it alive to win elections. After all, why should the temple be built just where the Babri Masjid stood? Why not next to it?Slaughter houses are meant to generate hygienic meat because 85% of society eat meat, not just Muslims. Meat is also exported to other countries. What is wrong with that? They are shutting meat shops with a vengeance. If they continue, it will boomerang on them and they will be wiped out in the next elections.For this to happen, they must be ready to dissolve the newly-elected UP assembly; Gujarat also. It is very difficult to implement. Karnataka assembly too would have completed just a year in 2019. Why should we agree to dissolve it? I accept that it is a good thing to have simultaneous polls to assemblies and Parliament. But what will happen when a government falls at mid-term? In northeast, governments keep coming and going; even in Goa. What do we do in such instances? The issue should be addressed first.