Mandya: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that he will not contest the 2023 Assembly election in the State from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru District where he had lost in 2018.
In 2018, as the sitting Chief Minister, he chose to run for the seat of Chamundeshwari, giving his ‘safe seat’ of Varuna in the Mysuru District to his son, Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah. While his son was elected, the senior Siddaramaiah lost the Chamundeshwari seat to JD (S) leader G. T. Deve Gowda by nearly 34,000 votes.
Speaking to mediapersons he said, “I have been asked to compete in four to five places. I haven’t decided yet.”
When asked if he will run for the seat in 2023, he said that he will not contest from Chamundeshwari.
In response to a question about the possibility of elections being held ahead of schedule in the wake of the BJP’s recent victories in four out of five Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah said he did not think it will happen.
He claimed that it has been ruled out by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, senior BJP leader B. S. Yediyurappa, and other leaders. He dismissed such speculation, saying there was no reason to have early elections when the polls are scheduled for April 2023.
“We are prepared to face any early elections that may occur. The public is in our favour,” he said.
In response to former Congress MLC C. M. Ibrahim’s defection, Siddaramaiah said, “no value should be given to the allegations of someone who has already quit the party. In 2013, I got him a ticket from Bhadravathi, which was previously denied to sitting MLA Sangamesh. He was defeated. Despite this, he was appointed Chairman of the planning board and later MLC. What injustice has Congress done to him?” he asked.
He further said that a large number of BJP leaders will defect to Congress before the Assembly elections. “I have received a call from JD (S) MLA G. T. Devegowda, who is looking for tickets for himself and his son. I am yet to speak to the High Command about this,” he added.
