Is Siddaramaiah warming up to the idea of returning to poll fray from Varuna?

MYSURU

Is former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warming up to the idea of returning to the electoral fray from Varuna Assembly constituency in Mysuru during the next assembly elections?

Participating in a programme to offer bagina to a lake in Chikkahomma village in Varuna Assembly constituency near here on Monday, Mr. Siddaramaiah clearly appeared to regret his decision to not contest from Varuna during the 2018 Assembly elections and instead prefer the adjoining Chamundeshwari constituency. “Had I contested from Varuna, I am sure you (voters of Varuna) would have voted for my victory in the elections,” he said.

He said he chose Chamundeshwari Assembly segment last time as he had planned the last elections of his political career from the constituency that had elected him on five occasions earlier. “But, everybody including BJP and JD(S) got together to defeat me out of jealousy. So, I had to contest from Badami in Bagalkot district also,” he said before adding that he would have won the 2018 assembly elections had he contested from Varuna.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had twice won the Assembly elections from Varuna in 2008 and 2013, has already firmly ruled out the possibility of returning to the poll fray from Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency. But, when appeals were made from the gathering on Monday to contest from Varuna in the next elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he will never forget the fact that it was the people Varuna, who elected him to the Assembly in 2013 when he became the Chief Minister of Karnataka. “I am ready to say this a hundred times,” he said.

Though his son Yathindra is representing the constituency at present, the former CM said he will always be with the people of Varuna. “Your love and admiration towards me is priceless,” he remarked.

He said he has similiarly been requested by people of Badami, Kolar, Chamarajapet, Hebbal and Kolar. But, he said he will abide by the decision of the party High Command on the constituency from which he will contest. “I will contest from where the party High Command asks me,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah, who is a serious contender for the post of Chief Minister if the Congress returns to power after the 2023 Assembly elections.

He said the situation was conducive for the Congress party to come to power in the elections, which are barely six months away. For, the BJP, which came to power from the “backdoor” by “purchasing” 17 MLAs belonging to Congress and JD(S), has not been able to deliver, he said referring to the rising prices of essential commodities and the corruption in the government.