Siddaramaiah Says He Will Not Contest 2028 Karnataka Assembly Elections, Cites Age and ‘Corrupt Politics’
Bengaluru, July 26: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced that he will not contest the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, citing his age, health and what he described as the growing influence of money and corruption in politics. He, however, said he would continue to remain active in public life and raise his voice for the people.
In a post on X, based on remarks made at a private event in K.R. Pet in Mandya district on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said he had decided not to contest any future elections, despite repeated requests from people in the Varuna Assembly constituency to seek another term.
The senior Congress leader said that when he had contested elections in the past, people of the constituency had supported and elected him, but the political environment had changed significantly.
Siddaramaiah, who is now 79, said the present government’s term has about one-and-a-half years remaining and that he would be around 81 or 82 by then. He added that advancing age and declining health would make it difficult to work with the same energy and commitment as before.
He noted that by 2028, he would have completed 50 years in politics, having begun his political career in 1978 as a Taluk Board member. Reflecting on his journey, he said he had witnessed both victories and defeats but had never compromised on the principles he believed in or acted against his conscience.
Expressing concern over the changing nature of electoral politics, Siddaramaiah said the situation had reached a stage where candidates were expected to distribute money to voters during elections. He said honest politics was increasingly becoming difficult to sustain and that this was one of the key reasons behind his decision not to contest again.
He thanked the people of Karnataka for treating him as one among their own over the past five decades and said he remained indebted to them. He added that he would dedicate the rest of his life to public service even after stepping away from electoral politics.
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