Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may give up his Varuna constituency for his heir apparent and younger son, Dr Yathindra, and opt to contest the 2018 Assembly poll from a safe constituency in North Karnataka, according to party sources.
Mr Siddaramaiah is reportedly not keen on contesting from the neighbouring Chamundeshwari constituency, where he has tasted defeated in the past.
A doctor by profession, Dr Yathindra had stayed away from politics until his older brother, Rakesh, who was being groomed as Mr Siddaramaiah’s successor, passed away some months ago. Since his death, Dr Yathindra has been seen frequently by the side of the Chief Minister, who confirmed on Thursday that he was stepping into Rakesh’s shoes. And now to cement his position further, Mr Siddaramaiah is apparently keen on Dr Yathindra contesting the next elections from the Varuna constituency in Mysuru that he currently represents.
With just one- and- a -half years to go for the Assembly polls, the Chief Minister is seriously tutoring his son in the nuances of politics and leaving it to him to take care of his Varuna constituency in his absence.
Going by a senior Congress leader, Mr Siddaramaiah is keen on a member of his family taking on his political mantle and carrying on where he leaves off eventually. Rakesh, who was inclined to politics and had all the neccessary qualities to succeed his father, was longing to contest from Varuna Assembly constituency, but destiny willed otherwise. And now Mr Siddaramaiah is depending on Dr Yathindra to carry on his legacy.
As for himself, he believes can win from any constituency in North Karnataka, according to party sources.
The Chief Minister is reportedly against contesting from the Chamundeshwari constituency, although he has represented it twice in the Assembly, as it is now with the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress may find it hard to win it back.
Yathindra the politico? It’s for voters to decide
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday refused to confirm if his son, Dr S Yathindra, whom he has named his heir apparent, will contest elections in future, only saying he would if the people wanted him to. Responding to a query from reporters in Mysuru, he said, “My elder son, Rakesh took care of the problems of my constituency as I am busy with the state work. After he passed away, Yathindra has continued that work. If there is popular demand, he will contest the elections. But this cannot be decided now. It will have to wait till the polls.” When Rakesh was his heir apparent, there was much speculation that he would contest the next elections from Mr Siddaramaiah’s home constituency of Varuna and the Chief Minister himself would move to the Chamundeswari constituency, from where he began his political career.
Moving on to the Cauvery crisis, he said while the Central study team was already doing a survey of the reservoirs and the drought in the river basin, the government was also writing to the Union government seeking funds for Bidar, Gulbarga and parts of Raichur that suffered drought and floods by turn. “As many as 110 villages have already been declared drought- hit and funds required to provide them drought relief have been released,” he added.
