BENGALURU: After being elected the Chief minister in 2013, Siddaramaiah who had announced he would not contest any more elections but contested from two seats- Badami and Chamundeshwari- in the 2018 assembly polls, once again reiterated that this would be his last election.
At a time when the Congress is looking to absorb Siddaramaiah into a national role, the coordination committee chief has reiterated his stance on retiring from electoral politics yet again. Speaking to party workers in Badami on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah said that he has retired from electoral politics but he added that his work for the party or people will not stop.
"I have faced 13 elections so far and after completing my five-year term as MLA, I will not contest any more elections. I am already 71 years old," Siddaramaiah said, citing his age for the very first time as one of the reasons to quit electoral politics. As part of the Congress working committee, Siddaramaiah hopes to continue working for the party.
Siddaramaiah's statement comes in the backdrop of speculations that the Congress is likely to insist on Siddaramaiah contesting the Lok Sabha polls. At a time when the party has decided to take on the BJP jointly with the JD(S), mass leaders like Siddaramaiah are what the party is banking on.
"He has already decided not to contest Lok Sabha polls. While the party would like him to contest, he is not keen. He has already conveyed his no to AICC President Rahul Gandhi," said a close aide of Siddaramaiah. The Congress, that will begin seat-sharing discussions with the JD(S) shortly, hopes to retain the Mysuru seat. Siddaramaiah, according to many in the party, would be the ideal candidate for the seat.