Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah indicated that the current elections would be the last he would fight and will bid adieu to electoral polity. His comments come at a time as he awaits the results of his fierce electoral fight from two constituencies in the 15th Legislative Assembly elections — Chamundeshwari and Badami.
Siddharamaiah completes five years in office as Chief Minister of Karnataka. He was sworn in as the CM on May 13, 2013. Siddharamaiah, who appeared high on confidence by the end of polling day yesterday, will know the future of his political career on May 15.
Talking to reporters before the exit polls were out indicating that the BJP would be in upswing, Siddharamaiah, however, said that he would remain to be in active politics and guide his followers. He maintained that the Congress would secure absolute majority.
“From very beginning for last six months I have been telling that Congress party will get majority. Neither JD(S) nor BJP has any chance. Only Congress will come to power and I will be the Chief Minister again,” Siddharamaiah said.
Answering questions, he maintained that there was no dispute in the Congress rank and file on who will be the ‘next Chief Minister’. “Our party has already decided to hold elections under my leadership. What does it indicate?
The Chief Minister ruled out possibility of any post-poll alliance with JD(S) to get the requisite numbers saying Congress would get majority of its own and so such situation will not arise.
Siddharamaiah had successfully steered the Congress providing a stable Government for five years from 2013 to 2018 in Karnataka, which has in the past seen repeated changes of Chief Ministers since 1978. Siddharamaiah and D. Devaraj Urs (1972-77) are the only two Chief Ministers to complete five years in office as the Chief Minister of the State since the State of Mysore was renamed Karnataka (1973). Both, the late Urs and Siddharamaiah hail from Mysuru district.
Though S.M. Krishna provided stable governance during 1999-2004, his tenure was cut short by five months owing to his decision to go for early polls, along with General Elections in 2004. Siddharamaiah, who had earlier decided not to contest 2018 Assembly polls, has now said that this will be last poll.
This post was published on May 13, 2018 6:41 pm