Bengaluru: In what would have been an awkward moment for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a woman planted a peck on his cheek at a public event in Bengaluru today.
The incident occurred after she was felicitated at a programme organised by Siddaramaiah's Kuruba community.
Girija Srinivas, who is a member of taluk panchayat from Tarikere in Chikmagalur district, said, "He (Siddaramaiah) is like my father. I call him Appaji (Dad). I was a big fan of CM since my school days. I met him for the first time. I could not control the excitement and I kissed him."
According to sources, she was a relative of Siddaramaiah and also belonged to his assembly seat Varuna in Mysore district.
Last week, in a major reshuffle of his three-year-old ministry, the Chief Minister showed exit door to 14 ministers and inducted 13 new faces, hoping that it will restore the party's image, tainted by drought crisis, farmers' suicides and a spate of controversies.
Playing down the crisis brewing over the revamp, Siddaramaiah denied rift in the ruling party after 14 ministers were sacked.
