<p class="title">Congress leader and ‘rebel’ star M H Ambareesh on Tuesday announced his retirement from electoral politics, ending the suspense on his contesting the May 12 assembly polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“I am growing old. I don’t want to contest the elections. Let the party field anybody from Mandya constituency,” the 66-year old leader told reporters. The Congress had given him the ticket to contest from Mandya. But he had not collected the 'B' form from the party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said he cannot campaign in the election because of ill health. “I cannot do justice to people of the constituency even if I am elected. Hence, the decision to retire from the electoral politics,” he stated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress leader took exception to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah contesting from two constituencies, saying that it sends out a wrong message. “He (Siddaramaiah) had been saying that he will contest from Chamundeshwari. And he should have stuck to his stand. Losing and winning are common in politics. A leader has to fight,” he added.</p>
<p class="title">Congress leader and ‘rebel’ star M H Ambareesh on Tuesday announced his retirement from electoral politics, ending the suspense on his contesting the May 12 assembly polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“I am growing old. I don’t want to contest the elections. Let the party field anybody from Mandya constituency,” the 66-year old leader told reporters. The Congress had given him the ticket to contest from Mandya. But he had not collected the 'B' form from the party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said he cannot campaign in the election because of ill health. “I cannot do justice to people of the constituency even if I am elected. Hence, the decision to retire from the electoral politics,” he stated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress leader took exception to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah contesting from two constituencies, saying that it sends out a wrong message. “He (Siddaramaiah) had been saying that he will contest from Chamundeshwari. And he should have stuck to his stand. Losing and winning are common in politics. A leader has to fight,” he added.</p>
