A day after he apparently linked his continuation as Chief Minister to the Congress party’s performance in Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency in the coming elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to clear the speculations over a leadership change by claiming that he meant to state that his presence at the helm was necessary to continue the guarantee programmes.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he made the statement to caution the people that BJP will discontinue the programmes if it comes power.
As the voters of Varuna Assembly constituency, which is also part of Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency, had given him a lead of about 48,000 votes over V. Somanna of the BJP in the last Assembly elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had sought a lead of 60,000 votes from the constituency to the Congress candidate Sunil Bose.
When his attention was drawn to the demand from people of Varuna for him to contest elections again, Mr. Siddaramaiah reiterated that he has decided against contesting anymore elections.
Stating that he was already 77, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he will be 81-82 years by the time four more years of the remaining term ends. By then, neither will his health permit him nor will he be able to work with as much enthusiasm, he said. He also recalled that he had started his political career as a taluk board member in 1978 and would be completing 50 years in politics when the present term ended.
No hike in property tax
Mr. Siddaramaiah also clarified that the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) was not increasing property tax as reported in a section of the media in Mysuru.
He said the MCC Commissioner had clarified to him that no such statement had been issued with regard to property tax.
