Karnataka Elections 2023: Siddaramaiah to contest from Kolar seat

Kolar is a safe bet for Siddaramaiah as it will consolidate AHINDA votes in his favour and Vokkaliga leaders of the party from the region also may pledge support to him.

Bengaluru, Jan 09: Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that he would contest the upcoming state Assembly polls from Kolar constituency. However, he said that the decision to field him from Kolar is subject to approval of the party high command.

"I have decided to be a candidate for the next election from Kolar. But it is subject to approval from the high command" Siddaramaiah announced at a public rally in Kolar.

The decision was taken after pressure from the Congress leaders for the 75-year leader to contest from there. He had received similar requests from Varuna, Badami, Hebbal, Koppal and Chamrajpet segments among others.

The Congress hopes that Siddaramaiah contesting from Kolar will help the party prospects in the districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapura and Bengaluru Rural.

Siddaramaiah's work in ensuring water supply for the drought affected region by initiating Yettinahole Project, and filling up tanks with KC Valley and HN Valley projects may garner vote for the Congress leader.

Kolar is beleieved to be safe bet for Siddaramaiah as it will consolidate AHINDA votes in his favour and Vokkaliga leaders of the party from the region also may pledge support to him.

AHINDA is a Kannada acronym that stands for 'Alpasankhyataru' (minorities), 'Hindulidavaru' (Backward Classes) and 'Dalitaru' (Dalits).

According to a PTI report, Siddaramaiah's supporters have conducted surveys, whuch says, Kolar being close to Bengaluru city may be easy for him to ensure his presence there often.

However, internal rift in the Kolar Congress, especially Union Minister K H Muniyappa, a veteran leader sulking, may cause a bit of worry for Siddaramaiah to some extent.

Siddaramaiah, who has announced that 2023 assembly polls will be his last, has made it clear that he would not contest from Chamundeshwari. As the then sitting chief minister, he lost the 2018 polls in Chamundeshwari to JD(S) G T Deve Gowda by 36,042 votes.

He, however, won Badami, the other constituency from where he had contested and defeated B Sriramulu (BJP) by 1,696 votes. Making his debut in the Assembly in 1983, Siddaramaiah had got elected from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal Party ticket. He has won five times from this constituency and tasted defeat thrice.

After neighbouring Varuna became a constituency in 2008 following delimitation, Siddaramaiah represented it till he vacated the seat for his son Dr Yatindra (MLA) in the 2018 assembly polls and went back to his old constituency of Camundeshwari.

Siddaramaiah is hoping for a second term in office, if the Congress wins the assembly polls this year. With State Congress President D K Shivakumar too having similar aspirations, it has triggered a game of one-upmanship between the two leaders.