No inclination to contest Lok Sabha polls: Siddaramaiah

WATCH | Siddaramaiah in a candid conversation with DH

Congress Legislature Party leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he had no inclination to enter national politics or contest the Lok Sabha polls.

Asked during an interaction organised by Deccan Herald – Prajavani, that several leaders in the Congress considered him Lok Sabha material, Siddaramaiah quipped, “I may be material of the Lok Sabha, but not Lok Sabha material. I am comfortable where I am.”

To a query on what will be his stand, if the Congress high command asks him to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls as he is a well-known face from the South, Siddaramaiah said, “Such a situation will not arise. Nor will I contest”.

On a section of Congress leaders repeatedly making statements at election rallies and conventions, that they would like to see him as chief minister once again, Siddaramaiah said, “They might have said that due to respect (for me)”.

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On whether he aspired to become chief minister again, Siddaramaiah said, “Let us see after the next assembly polls.”

To a query that there was a general perception that the Congress tended to electoral lose rather than gain due to the parties alliance with the JD(S), the former chief minister said, “In a coalition government, there is no question of who gains. But it should be mutually benefiting”, he said and pointed out that the two parties had not only won four of the five seats in the by-polls held last year but also increased their respective vote share. By-polls were held for Shimoga, Mandya, Bellary Lok Sabha and Jamakhandi, Ramanagar assembly seats in November last year.

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