Siddaramaiah rules out 2028 Assembly polls, cites age, health and 'corrupted' politics

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced that he will not contest the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, bringing down the curtain on what is likely to be his electoral journey after decades in active politics. 

The veteran leader said advancing age, declining health and the deteriorating nature of politics were the key reasons behind his decision.

The announcement comes just weeks after Siddaramaiah stepped down as Karnataka Chief Minister, making way for senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar to take over the state's top post.

While the leadership transition had already sparked speculation over Siddaramaiah's political future, the Congress stalwart clarified that his decision was driven by personal considerations rather than recent political developments.

In a statement, Siddaramaiah revealed that supporters from his Varuna constituency had once again urged him to contest the next Assembly election. However, he said he had made up his mind not to enter the electoral fray again.

Explaining his decision, the veteran politician noted that he is currently 79 years old and would be around 81 or 82 by the time Karnataka heads to the 2028 Assembly elections.

He said his health is no longer as strong as it once was and that he does not have the same energy required to campaign and discharge the responsibilities that come with electoral politics.

The former Chief Minister also delivered a sharp assessment of the current political environment, saying politics today has become ‘corrupted’.

According to him, the changing character of public life has further strengthened his resolve to stay away from contesting future elections.

Despite ruling out another electoral contest, Siddaramaiah made it clear that he is not retiring from public life. He said he would continue to remain politically active and raise his voice on issues concerning the people.

He pledged to stand with citizens in both their hardships and achievements, indicating that he intends to remain an influential figure within the Congress and Karnataka politics even without contesting elections.

Siddaramaiah's announcement is expected to have significant political implications for the Congress in Karnataka as the party prepares to shape its leadership and electoral strategy ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.