‘Happily exiting electoral politics with no regrets’: MP Veerappa Moi

Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily today said he has no regrets about quitting electoral politics.

Bangalore:

Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister M Veerappa Moily today said the party had given him everything and he had no regrets about quitting electoral politics.

The former union minister is keen to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Chikbalapur, but he won the assembly elections in 2009 and 2014 but lost in 2019.

“This is a good excuse for me to retire (from electoral politics).” The 84-year-old said that when the Congress central leadership told him to give up his claims, he readily agreed, pointing out that people like M Mallikarjun Party leaders of similar age, such as Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, are also not contesting this time.

“I will win in Chikbalapur this time,” Mr Moi told the Press Trust of India here, a day after announcing his retirement from electoral politics, noting that he continued to cultivate the constituency and it would be difficult to sever his relationship with the people. “.

He stressed that he was not disappointed by the party’s move not to field him and said he always abides by the high command’s decisions.

“I don’t want to show to people that I am greedy for power or greedy for position. I will continue to work for the party. I will not stand in the election. I will continue to work for the party and serve the party,” Mr Moyley said.

He recalled that he won six consecutive assembly elections and despite belonging to a “very micro community”, he was appointed minister and held important positions and later became chief minister.

Mr. Moily pointed out that during UPA II under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he was appointed as a minister and was given the opportunity to hold six portfolios.

Earlier, he had also served as the AICC in charge of Assam, the then undivided Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states.

“I enjoyed all the posts. The party gave me everything. I am happy to quit (electoral politics). I have no regrets at all,” he said, adding that he was always grateful to Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh , the late Rajiv Gandhi and the late Indira Gandhi who gave him “these positions” and gave him confidence in party affairs.

Moi said he will canvass votes for party candidates in Chikbalapur, Udupi-Chikmachalur and Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituencies and wherever the party wants him to go.

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