<p>Early stage talks are underway within the Congress to get Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah to contest the next general election from a ‘safe’ seat in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>Multiple sources confirmed to <em>DH</em> that Chamarajpet legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan had offered to vacate the constituency for Siddaramaiah. The Chamarajpet segment has a sizable minority population.</p>.<p>However, no decision has been made, sources added.</p>.<p>Currently, Siddaramaiah represents the Badami constituency in north Karnataka’s Bagalkot district. He won this seat in 2018 with a narrow margin of 1,696 votes against the BJP’s B Sriramulu.</p>.<p>He had also contested from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru and lost badly, despite being an incumbent chief minister.“Contesting again from Badami or Chamundeshwari may not be safe for him,” a party leader aware of the discussion said.“Also, Siddaramaiah doesn’t want to return to his earlier Varuna constituency, which is currently represented by his son Yathindra.”</p>.<p>In the past, Siddaramaiah said that the 2018 election would be his last. However, a ‘safe’ seat will be necessary in the event that he is persuaded by the party to contest the next election, sources pointed out.</p>
<p>Early stage talks are underway within the Congress to get Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah to contest the next general election from a ‘safe’ seat in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>Multiple sources confirmed to <em>DH</em> that Chamarajpet legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan had offered to vacate the constituency for Siddaramaiah. The Chamarajpet segment has a sizable minority population.</p>.<p>However, no decision has been made, sources added.</p>.<p>Currently, Siddaramaiah represents the Badami constituency in north Karnataka’s Bagalkot district. He won this seat in 2018 with a narrow margin of 1,696 votes against the BJP’s B Sriramulu.</p>.<p>He had also contested from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru and lost badly, despite being an incumbent chief minister.“Contesting again from Badami or Chamundeshwari may not be safe for him,” a party leader aware of the discussion said.“Also, Siddaramaiah doesn’t want to return to his earlier Varuna constituency, which is currently represented by his son Yathindra.”</p>.<p>In the past, Siddaramaiah said that the 2018 election would be his last. However, a ‘safe’ seat will be necessary in the event that he is persuaded by the party to contest the next election, sources pointed out.</p>
