Mysore:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has decided not to contest elections as he will no longer have the fitness and enthusiasm required for the job in four years considering his age.

During the 2023 parliamentary elections, he called them his last but said he would continue in politics.

“People in Varuna wanted me to contest the parliamentary elections again. But I decided not to contest elections again. I am 77 years old now. I have four more years (of his government’s term). I will be 81-82 years old and my health is not I won’t be able to work with joy. Can I work with passion? Enough is enough,” said Siddaramaiah.

“By 2028 (when the next assembly elections are held in Karnataka), I will be 82 years old and will have completed 50 years in politics. In 1978, I became a taluk board member,” he said.

When told he didn’t look old, he said: “I may not look old, but who gets to experience aging – you or me?”

Siddaramaiah won the last election in Karnataka from Varuna constituency and entered the state assembly for the ninth time.

In 2018, he lost to Chamundeshwari but won Badami, another constituency from which he contested, and subsequently served as leader of the opposition.

Siddaramaiah made his debut in the state assembly in 1983 and was elected from Chamundeshwari on the Lok Dal party ticket. He won the district five times and lost three times.

Neighboring Varuna became a constituency in 2008 after delimitation and Siddaramaiah represented the constituency until 2018 when the seat was vacated for his son Dr Yatindra and returned to his Old constituency – Chamundeshwari. In 2023, Yasindra returned the favor to his father and vacated his seat.

Before the May 2018 parliamentary elections, Siddaramaiah had said it was “probably” his last.

Earlier, during the 2013 assembly elections, he had said that this would be his last poll but later became the chief minister.

Amid speculation about a leadership change, Siddaramaiah on Monday asked the people of his constituency to give the Congress candidate a lead of at least 60,000 votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to ensure that he continues to hold the top post.

Playing down his statement, Siddaramaiah said: “I am not getting emotional. I am just saying that in order for all development work to continue, I should be there. That’s all. If the BJP comes, they Will stop this. With this intention, I say this… I am ahead by 48,000 votes. I demand that Sunil Bose (Congress candidate from Chamarajanagar, Varuna district) get A bigger lead.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)