HASSAN: Some former bureaucrats have tried, but failed, to make their mark in electoral politics, and the latest to take the plunge is the former commissioner of Bruhat Begaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Mr Siddaiah, who has been given a Congress ticket from Sakleshpur, a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes.
Mr Siddaiah has an uphill task as the seat has been won by Janata Dal (Secular) MLA and former minister H.K. Kumaraswamy twice, while it was held by the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier.
“It has been 25 years since the Congress won the seat in Sakleshpur,” said taluk Congress president Bhaskar. But he is confident that Siddaiah will win, as the sitting MLA faces the anti-incumbency factor.
But it has not been a smooth sail for Mr Siddaiah as he had to face the wrath of local Congress leaders, who opposed his candidature saying he is an “outsider” to Sakleshpur.
They also point out that he migrated from Kanakapura of Ramanagar district. “The anger among a section of local Congress leaders has subsided and all the leaders are working together for the success of Mr Siddaiah,” says Mr Bhaskar.
When pointed out that many bureaucrats have failed in politics, Mr Siddaiah told Deccan Chronicle that he belongs to a different class and cannot be compared with defeated bureaucrats. “I have always worked with the people. My popularity is high in all parts of the state,” he said, claiming that he is familiar with the problems confronting the people of Sakleshpur, like human-animal conflict, problems of coffee planters and others.
