Bengaluru: The knives are already out against the outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The Speaker in the outgoing Assembly K B Koliwad has held him directly responsible for the defeat.

Koliwad, who lost from Ranebennur by 6000 votes to an independent allegedly fielded by Siddaramaiah, said that Congress must reclaim the party from him.

Speaking to News18, he said: “Siddaramaiah is responsible for the debacle. He ruined Congress in Karnataka. He fielded Shankar as an independent against me. I lost to him by a few thousand votes. That independent MLA has joined the BJP today. It is Siddaramaiah’s crime. His attitude, language, etc went against the Congress.”

Koliwad asked the Congress high command not to give any importance or posts to Siddaramaiah in future. He said, “He does not have even a drop of Congress blood in him. He worked against it through his “yes” men. He created enmity between us and Vokkaligas. He created enmity between us and the Lingayats. All for his personal benefits. Finally, the party suffered.”

The outgoing Speaker said that Siddaramaiah was a self-centric leader who had used the Congress to build an image for himself.

“We should not have taken Siddaramaiah into the party. We finished many original Congress leaders and operated through his old JDS men and women. He promoted his people,” Koliwad alleged.

Commenting on the possibility of Siddaramaiah taking over as the Congress state chief, Koliwad said that it was going to be suicidal for the Congress in 2019 the Lok Sabha elections.

He said, “Siddaramaiah is a rejected face. He has spoiled our chances. He should be kept out. We must rebuild the Congress. The high command must appoint someone else as KPCC chief. D K Shivakumar is a better choice. Even if they continue with Dr. G Parameshwara that would be fine.”

Independent MLA Shankar has extended his support to the BJP this morning. A Kuruba by caste Shankar was taken to BJP’s CM nominee B S Yeddyurappa’s house by another BJP leader K S Eshwarappa.

The Congress had sent a helicopter to get Shankar to Bengaluru immediately after he won on Tuesday.