India, July 27 -- Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced that he will not contest the 2028 Assembly polls, citing advancing age, politics becoming "deeply polluted". The Congress Working Committee member, however, asserted that he will remain active in politics and continue to be a voice for the people's hardship and well-being. "Politics has become deeply polluted today, and for that reason I will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections. However, I will remain active in politics and continue to be a voice for the people's hardships and well-being," Siddaramaiah said in a post on 'X', detailing what he said at a private event held on Saturday in K R Pet in Mandya district.
Noting that the people of the Varuna constituency in Mysuru are urging him to contest the elections once again, he said, "I have decided that I should not contest any more elections. Earlier, when I contested elections, it was the people of the constituency who supported us financially and ensured our victory. Today, that situation no longer exists." "I am now 79-years-old. Our (Congress) government's term has another year and a half remaining. By then, I will be 81-82 years old. My health may not remain as strong as it is now, and I may not be able to work with the same energy and enthusiasm as before," he added.
Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister on May 28, following instructions from the Congress high command, paving the way for D K Shivakumar to take over as CM. Following his resignation, Siddaramaiah had said that he "politely declined" the Congress high command's Rajya Sabha seat offer, asserting that he would remain in state politics, and was not interested in national politics. Pointing out that by 2028, he will be 82 years old, Siddaramaiah said at that time, he will have completed 50 years in public life. "I began my political career in 1978 as a Taluk Board member. I have seen both victory and defeat, but I have the satisfaction of never acting against the principles I believed in or betraying my conscience," he said. A time has now come when politicians have to pay money to the people if they want to contest elections, the Congress leader said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.