Siddaramaiah plans to contest Lok Sabha from Mysuru constituency

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who has completed over three decades in state politics, now seems to be nurturing his 'Delhi dreams' with plans to enter the Lok Sabha from Mysuru constituency.

However, according to  sources close to the CM, the foremost priority of Mr Siddaramaiah is to ensure the victory of his second son, Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah who is set to make his debut in state politics from Varuna Assembly constituency, presently held by his father.

Mr Siddaramaiah has enjoyed power in the last three decades and also went on to become CM, a dream which he  nurtured since the day he joined Janata Dal (Secular). But, as long as he was in JD(S), he could not rise above the post of Deputy CM thanks to his mentor and JD(S) supremo, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda who wanted to make his son, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy CM.

After his exit from JD(S), Mr Siddaramaiah joined the Congress Party about a decade ago and fulfilled his dream of becoming CM. Having worked as MLA, minister, deputy chief minister and now CM, Mr Siddaramaiah has enjoyed power except for a brief period when he lost the Assembly polls from Chamundeshwari constituency. The sudden demise of Rakesh Siddaramaiah, his first son, who was seen as his heir apparent, forced him to bring into politics his second son, Dr Yathindra. Already, the groundwork has been done for the 'rangapravesha' of Dr Yathindra in the 2018 polls from Varuna.

A senior Congress leader told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Siddaramaiah is unlikely to contest in 2018 saying he has to  campaign in all 224 Assembly constituencies and his son's constituency in particular.  More than his victory, it would be more important for Siddaramaiah to ensure his son's victory despite anti-incumbency.

For this reason, Mr Siddaramaiah is learnt to have started hobnobbing with Mr Deve Gowda to convince him to field a weak candidate against his son in Varuna.

A Congress leader said the party is unlikely to give poll tickets to father and son and that too in two adjoining constituencies. Such proposals have been rejected in the past and the same yardstick may be made applicable to Siddaramaiah. If that happens, he has no option except choose another constituency or go to the Lok Sabha as done by two senior leaders-Mr Mallikarjun Kharge and Mr  Dharam Singh. The party high command may consider Mr Siddaramaiah for the Mysuru  seat which the BJP won in 2014 as health is not on the side of defeated Congress candidate A.H. Vishwanath.

Former minister Srinivasprasad to quit Assembly and Congress too
Senior Congress leader and former revenue minister V. Srinivasprasad has declared that he will submit his resignation from the post of MLA on October 17.

Addressing a press meet in Nanjangud in Mysuru, on Wednesday, he said, he had taken the appointment of Assembly Speaker Mr K.B. Koliwad on October 17 to  submit his resignation.

He added that he would also hand over his resignation from the primary membership of the Congress party.

He said, “I am a senior leader who has served the public for four decades and I have served as Union Minister too. I am not frustrated over being removed as a state minister. But I am deeply hurt by the way it was done to me. After I resign I will speak out about the injustice meted out to me before the leaders and people of Nanjangud constituency,” Mr Srinivasprasad said.  

He added, “After that, I will decide which party to join and whether to contest the elections or not in future.”  

During the recent Cabinet reshuffle, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had dropped Mr Srinivasprasad along with Housing Minister and actor-politician M.H. Ambareesh from the state Cabinet  to induct other Congress MLAs and this was resisted by both leaders.