Siddaramaiah says he won't contest 2028 Karnataka Assembly poll

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday, July 26, announced that he will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections, citing his age, declining health and what he described as the increasing corruption in electoral politics. The 79-year-old senior Congress leader said he would, however, remain active in public life and continue to speak on issues affecting the people.While addressing a private event in Mandya, the 79-year-old leader said he had decided not to seek another electoral mandate despite repeated requests from people in his Varuna constituency."The political field has become corrupted today. Therefore, I have decided that I will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections. However, I will continue to remain active in politics and raise my voice for the people," he said.Siddaramaiah said he would turn 81 or 82 by the time the current government's term ends and the next Assembly election is held."Our government's term still has one and a half years left. By then, I will be 81-82 years old. My health is not as robust as it used to be. It is no longer possible to work with the same enthusiasm as before," he said.The Congress veteran said 2028 would also mark 50 years since he entered public life as a taluk board member in 1978. Reflecting on his political career, he said he had never compromised his principles."I have seen both defeats and victories. But I take satisfaction in the fact that I have not acted against the principles I believed in, nor betrayed my conscience," he said.Siddaramaiah also lamented the growing influence of money in elections. Recalling earlier campaigns, he said there was a time when supporters contributed to election expenses, but that the situation had changed significantly."In the past, when I contested elections, it was the people of the constituency who gave us money and ensured our victory. But today, such a situation no longer exists," he said."The time has come where, if we contest elections, we would have to give money to the people. Politics today is thoroughly corrupted. Honest politics seems to have no leg to stand on. In this backdrop, I have arrived at the decision not to contest in future elections," he added.Despite stepping away from electoral politics, Siddaramaiah said he would continue to serve the public."For five decades, the people of the state have seen me as one among them and affectionately guided me. This debt weighs on me. Therefore, my future life too will be dedicated to public service," he said.This is not the first time Siddaramaiah has spoken about retiring from electoral politics. Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, as a candidate from the Varuna constituency, he had said it would be his final electoral battle.