Siddu on 2023 polls: Will contest from seat chosen by Congress high command

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Days after former Badami MLA B.B. Chimmanakatti asked Opposition leader Siddaramaiah to return to his home turf and contest the 2023 Assembly polls from Varuna constituency in Mysuru district, Siddu said he will contest from a constituency decided by the Congress high command. Speaking to the media, the former CM said offers had come from many constituencies including Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan, Chitradurga, Koppal, Bagalkote, Vijayapura Tumakur and Davangere. After Chimmanakatti’s statement, Siddaramiah is said to be in two minds on seeking re-election from Badami that gave him a new lease of life in politics after he lost the battle for Chamundeshwari in Mysuru in the 2018 Assembly polls. Though, other Congress leaders like former minister M.B.Patil have asked the media not to take Chimmanakatti’s statement seriously in view of his health condition, there could be dissent among local Congress leaders about Siddaramaiah’s plan to contest from Badami again in the coming Assembly polls. Asked about the open invite from Chamarajpet Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan to contest from his constituency, Siddaramaiah said he had no plans to seek reelection from a Bengaluru constituency. In fact, Chimmanakatti had happily vacated the Badami seat when Siddaramaiah wished to contest from that constituency after intelligence reports hinted at his defeat in Chamundeshwari. Some sources say that he may contest from Varuna, currently held by son Dr Yatindra Siddaramaiah, and accommodate his son in another ‘safe’ constituency.