'Don't take even 1% risk': Congress believes Kolar contest could be tricky for Siddaramaiah

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah told a large group of supporters on Tuesday that the Congress high command had asked him not to take even ‘1% risk’ while choosing a constituency to contest the elections.

Scores of people from Kolar thronged Siddaramaiah’s residence here demanding that he contest from Kolar, a constituency that is seen as “risky” for the Congress leader.

Addressing his followers, Siddaramaiah said the Congress high command had not dissuaded him from contesting from Kolar.

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“No one has asked me not to contest from there. They have only told me not to take even 1% risk while deciding on the constituency. They have left the decision to me. They have asked me to be available for campaigning across the state ahead of the elections,” he told them.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah reiterated that the Congress high command had not interfered in the matter. “I will speak to my son and my wife and arrive at a decision,” he said.

Siddaramaiah, arguably the Congress’ biggest mass leader in Karnataka, had announced in January that he wanted to contest from Kolar.

Two months later, there is uncertainty on where he will contest from. It is possible that Siddaramaiah would move back to Varuna, his native now represented by his son Dr Yathindra, who has offered to vacate the seat for his father.

A top Congress leader said the party wants Siddaramaiah to pick a seat where he need not spend a lot of time campaigining.

“Our concern is that he will be unavailable for campaigning across the state if he decides to contest from a place like Kolar. He will have to spend a lot of time there. On the contrary, a constituency such as Varuna, where he already has a strong footing, will free up his time. He will be available for campaigning,” the leader said.

Siddaramaiah’s ambiguity over his seat choice will give ammo to the BJP to attack the Congress leader who wants a second term as chief minister if voted to power.

The Congress is yet to announce the first list of tickets for the elections. Party sources said Siddaramaiah himself is not in favour of contesting from two seats this time.

In the 2018 elections, Siddaramaiah contested from Chamundeshwari and Badami. He lost Chamundeshwari badly, but won Badami by 1,696 votes.