With Congress's lead widening in Karnataka, there is a renewed vigour in the party camp as workers thronged the KPCC office in Bengaluru in anticipation of a clean sweep.
Not just workers, but even leaders have started staking claims for the top post. First in the line is former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has never shied from expressing his interest in helming the government once again.
Just as the early leads showed he was leading from Varuna, Siddaramaiah's son said his father should become the chief minister for the interest of the state. "We will do anything to keep BJP out of power...In the interest of Karnataka, my father should become the CM," says Yathindra Siddaramaiah.
Yathindra added that his father was going to win in the Varuna constituency with a huge margin. "We are very confident that my father (Siddaramaiah) is going to win in the Varuna constituency with a huge margin. Congress will get an absolute majority and will come to power on its own," he said. "Every survey says that we are going to get a simple majority," added the Congress leader.
The former chief minister already has a lead in his constituency. He faces a tough contest against BJP candidate V. Somanna and JD(S) candidate Dr Bharathi Shankar in Varuna.
Pre-poll surveys have already hinted that Siddaramaiah is a popular choice for the chief minister. However, state Congress chief D K Shivakumar too is in the race. In an early interview, Siddaramaiah, while rubbishing rumours of his tussle with the state chief, said his "relationship with DK Shivakumar was good."
"He is an aspirant, I'm also an aspirant. In democracy, anyone can have aspirations. I don't think it is wrong to have an aspiration for democracy. The opinion will be collected after the election; based on the opinion of the MLAs the high command will take a decision (on CM)," he had told PTI last month.
Soon after, the Congress put out a two-part video of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar engaged in a candid conversation about the polls in a show of camaraderie and bonhomie.
On him being a strong contender for the post of the chief minister, Shivakumar said, "For me, the party comes first and the chief ministership comes later. On the CM issue, I will abide by whatever the party decides."
The 75-year-old Siddaramaiah has said this would be his last polls, after which he would abstain from electoral politics.
