Siddaramaiah Won’t Contest 2028 Polls, Cites Age and ‘Corrupt Politics’

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday announced that he will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections. He gave his age, health concerns and the rise of corruption in politics as the reasons for the decision.

The announcement was made at a private event in Mandya district. Siddaramaiah, who is 79 years old, said that by the time the next Assembly elections are held he would be around 82. He stated that he could no longer work with the same energy as before.

He made clear that the decision does not mean withdrawal from public life. “The political field has become corrupted today. Therefore, I have decided not to contest the 2028 Assembly elections. However, I will continue to remain active in politics and stand with the people, raising my voice for their hardships and happiness,” he said.

Siddaramaiah noted that people from his Varuna constituency had been urging him to contest the elections once again. Despite those requests, he said he had made up his mind not to seek another electoral mandate.

The senior Congress leader has held the office of Chief Minister of Karnataka on two occasions. He first served in the post between 2013 and 2018. He returned to the position for a second term that lasted from 2023 to 2026.

In his remarks, Siddaramaiah linked his choice both to personal factors and to his assessment of the present state of politics. Age and health were presented as practical limitations on his capacity to campaign and work at the same intensity. At the same time, he pointed to what he described as the corruption that has entered the political field as an additional reason for stepping away from electoral contests.

He repeatedly emphasised that his decision applies only to contesting elections. He intends to remain engaged in political activity and to continue speaking on issues that affect ordinary people. The distinction between contesting polls and staying active in public life was central to the statement he delivered in Mandya.

The announcement comes after decades of electoral participation. By declaring that he will not be a candidate in 2028, Siddaramaiah has set a clear boundary on his future role while leaving open the possibility of continued involvement outside the formal electoral process. His comments at the private event placed equal weight on the physical realities of age and on his view of the current political environment.

Residents of the Varuna constituency had expressed a desire for him to stand again. Siddaramaiah acknowledged those appeals directly but confirmed that they had not altered his decision. The finality of his position was stated without qualification: he will not contest the 2028 Assembly elections.

The statement therefore records both a personal choice driven by age and health and a broader observation about the state of politics. Siddaramaiah’s own words frame the decision as the product of these combined factors, while affirming that his public engagement will continue in a non-electoral form.