Cong faces no Siddaramaiah test in 2028 polls

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced he will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections, a decision that signals the end of a long and influential electoral career. This move sets the stage for the Congress party's first major test in maintaining the political coalition he painstakingly assembled, especially without his direct participation in seeking a mandate.

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As his son, I would never ask him to return to electoral politics. He is nearing 80, and at this stage I want him to have the rest and medical care he deserves. His well-being matters far more to me than another election.

Siddaramaiah's son and Karnataka minister, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, affirmed his father's decision, stating there was no question of reconsideration. He emphasized his father's well-being and need for rest and medical care over another election campaign. Yathindra noted that his father rarely changes his mind once a decision is made, having previously spoken about stepping away from electoral politics.

For nearly two decades, Siddaramaiah has been more than just a party leader; he has been the Congress's primary campaigner, its most recognizable mass leader, and the key figure behind the AHINDA coalition, which represents minorities, backward classes, and Dalits. While D. K. Shivakumar now leads the government, the Congress has yet to prove whether Siddaramaiah's significant electoral appeal can be transferred to another leader.

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Once my father reaches a decision, he rarely changes it. He had spoken earlier about stepping away from elections, and he has now repeated that position.

His influence is expected to persist within Karnataka, as he intends to remain in the state rather than pursue national politics. However, this continued influence without electoral participation presents a different political dynamic. Political analyst Sugata Srinivasaraju suggests Siddaramaiah is unlikely to shift to national politics due to language barriers and expects him to remain an influential presence in the Assembly, though perhaps not actively involved in campaign preparations. Srinivasaraju also pointed out that Siddaramaiah's interventions have often unsettled the political establishment when he has been outside government, citing the 2018 coalition period as an example.

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He has never shown much interest in moving to national politics, largely because language has always been a limitation. I expect him to remain an influential presence in the Assembly, but I don’t see him taking an active role in preparing the party for the 2028 campaign.