BENGALURU -- A woman placed a peck on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's cheek at a public meeting yesterday, 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.
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.
She is married to a man from Chikmagalur.
Speaking to reporters Siddaramaiah said, "that girl is like my daughter."
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