Woman’s show of ‘affection’ leaves K’taka CM red-faced

A woman placed a peck on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's cheek at a public meeting here on Sunday, leaving him visibly embarrassed. The incident happened at a programme to felicitate newly elected members of zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats, organised by the Karnataka Pradesha Kuruba Sangha at palace grounds here.

Standing next to Chief Minister for a group photo, Girija Srinivas, who is Tarikere Taluk Panchayat member from Amruthapura in Chikmagalur district, all of a sudden in her moment of joy gave a peck on his cheek and walked away. Siddaramaiah, visibly embarrassed by the incident, wiped his cheek with a big smile. The Karnataka Chief Minister hails from Kuruba community.

Speaking to a TV channel, the woman said she was happy that the Chief Minister was also a Kuruba, and called him a "lion of the community". "I was overjoyed by the fact that I was standing next to him. My family and I have always called him "Appaji" (father)."  She also clarified that placing a peck on Siddaramaiah's cheek was not preplanned. Srinivas hails from Varuna in Mysuru district which is Siddaramaiah's assembly constituency.