'I won't budge to any pressure,' says Karnataka Congress MLC on contesting Lok Sabha polls

Bengaluru, Feb 2 (IANS) Congress MLC and senior leader Prakash Hukkeri on Friday slammed his own party after his name was proposed to contest Lok Sabha election from Chikkodi seat in Belagavi district.

“Am I a football? I was sent to Delhi earlier. Now they are trying to do it a second time. Do they think I am a football? I have been elected from the teachers' constituency to serve them. I am not elected to contest elections. They have made it a habit. Is this a football match?” he told the media persons.

He said that the demands of the teachers are yet to be fulfilled. “I will work under the capacity of a MLC and stay here,” Hukkeri said.

When asked that CM Siddaramaiah is requesting him to contest Lok Sabha polls, “Have I given it in writing to him that I will contest elections? I have not given my word to the CM. I will work for teachers,” he said.

On Thursday, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a dinner meeting over selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Minister for Home G. Parameshwara has said that the meeting was focused on selection of candidates and strategies for the Parliamentary elections.