Siddaramaiah Announces Retirement from Electoral Politics, Rules Out Contesting 2028 Assembly Polls

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, July 26, 2026: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced that he will not contest the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, citing his advancing age, declining health, and what he described as the "corruption" of the political system.

In a post on X, the 79-year-old leader said the current Assembly’s remaining term of one-and-a-half years would take him to 81-82 years of age, making it difficult for him to continue working with the same energy.

"Since the political field has become corrupted today, I will not contest in the 2028 Assembly elections," Siddaramaiah said, adding that his health was no longer as robust as before.

However, he clarified that he was not retiring from public life and would continue to remain active in politics, raising his voice on issues affecting the people.

Siddaramaiah also revealed that supporters from his Varuna constituency had urged him to contest again, but he had decided against seeking another electoral mandate.

Criticising the current political environment, he said elections had become increasingly driven by money power. "The time has come where, if we contest elections, we would have to give money to the people. Politics today is thoroughly corrupted, and honest politics has little space," he said.

Siddaramaiah, who stepped down as Chief Minister on May 28 to make way for D.K. Shivakumar as part of the Congress leadership transition, did not refer to the change in leadership while announcing his decision. Instead, he described it as a personal choice influenced by his age, health, and concerns over the state of contemporary politics.