Former CM Siddaramaiah (born 12 August 1948) was the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka. A veteran politician who was elected as the Parliamentary Party Leader of the Indian Congress Party and the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka in the 2013 general elections. Siddaramaiah, who contested from the Badami constituency at the last minute in the last 2018 assembly elections and won by a small margin and got a political rebirth because while he lost in Chamundeshwari, he won in Badami by a narrow margin. The expectation that he will contest from the Badami constituency again in the upcoming assembly elections is false.

After Siddaramaiah announced in January that he will contest from Kolar, the calculation of who will be the next Congress candidate in the Badami constituency has also started. But before we get into that detail, let’s take a look at the political life and career of Siddaramaiah. 

Siddaramaiah: Here’s How The Veteran Congress Leader Came To Be

Originally from Mysore:

Born on 12 August 1948 at Siddharamanahundi, Varuna Hobli, Mysore. His father was Siddarama Gowda and his mother was Boramma. They are a full-house joint family. He learned the folk dance Veeragase, Dollu Kunita, and Kansale dances at an early age. 

He began school late:

He did not go to school till his tenth year. He got admission to the school straight to fifth grade and continued his studies from then onwards. He did his primary, secondary and high school education in his hometown, PUC in Mysore and B.Sc in Yuvaraja College.

His first job was:

After graduating in law from Mysore University, he became a junior with a lawyer named Chikkaboraiah and then practiced as an independent lawyer till 1978.

His career in politics began in 1983: 

In Mysore He won the 1983 state election from the Chamundeshwari constituency from the Bharatiya Lok Dal. Joining the Janata Party, he was appointed as the President of the newly formed Kannada Kavalu Samiti from the Bharatiya Lok Dal. 

He traveled to border areas like Belagavi, Kasaragod in Kerala, Kolar etc, and submitted a report.

Siddaramaiah was later appointed as Animal Husbandry Minister after winning  the 1985 election from Chamundeshwari constituency. 

He also served as the Minister of Silk and Transport after the cabinet reshuffle.

Siddaramaiah, who lost the election in the Congress wave of 1989, joined the Janata Dal when the Janata Party split. When Deve Gowda joined the Janata Dal from the Samajwadi Janata Party in 1992, he became the secretary of the Janata Dal.

He won the 1994 elections and became the Finance Minister.

When the Janata Dal split in 1999 elections, he became president of the secular Janata Dal along with Deve Gowda.

He was defeated in the 1999 election but by 2004, he was projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the secular Janata Dal.

In 2004, when the Atantara Legislative Assembly was formed, he became Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister twice, when the government was formed with the Congress.

Contested in December 2006 by-election:

Siddaramaiah, who won in 2008, won from the Congress party. Later on, he became the Chief ministerial candidate of the Congress party in the 2013 election.

On May 10, 2013, he was sworn in as the leader of the Congress Legislative Party and on May 13, 2014, as the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka. 

As Chief Minister, he made schemes like Annabhagya, Shadibhagya, Ksheerabhagya and gave free bus passes to Dalit students and girls.

In the 12-05-2018 assembly election, Chamundeshwari and Badami contested in two constituencies. Among them, he lost in Chamundeshwari and won in Badami by a narrow margin.

On 15 May 2018, after the Karnataka Legislative Assembly election respecting the verdict Siddaramaiah resigned from his post of Chief minister of Karnataka. 

Siddaramaiah’s place in Karnataka Politics today: 

Can he become CM once again?

Most of the Congress leaders openly expressed their support for Siddaramaiah in the ‘Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Murthy Unveiling and Shilamantapa Inauguration Program’.  

MLA Bhairati Suresh said, Siddaramaiah has done many development works during his tenure. He has given many popular blessings. He is a very honest politician. Siddaramaiah should become the Chief Minister to continue all the development works of the past. Siddaramaiah should become the CM for the development of the state,” he reiterated with emotion.

Congress vs BJP:

The date for the Karnataka assembly election has been fixed and so we should ask who will fight against Siddaramaiah from BJP. In such a situation, the political party and the leaders are making a plan to defeat their opponents. BJP has started preparations to defeat former Congress leader Siddaramaiah.

Yes, as the election approaches, there is a flurry of activity in the political sphere. Ticket aspirants and candidates are making strategies to attract the attention of voters. On the other hand, the attempt to expose their failures to the people to defeat their opponents has gone without success.  At the same time, they are weaving various strategies to give a tough competition to the important leaders. 

Currently, the first and second list of Congress candidates has been released, according to which former CM Siddaramaiah is sure to contest from Varuna constituency.  In such a situation, BJP has decided to field Somanna to tie him down. With Somanna’s move, tension has started for the BJP leaders as they are persuading Somanna to contest in Varuna.  But only Somanna has not made up her mind about this and has not responded to anyone’s words. Atta party leaders have instructed to prepare strong leaders against Siddaramaiah.

Leaving the Badami constituency:

The reason for leaving the constituency is that after Siddaramaiah was elected from Badami, there had been a lot of development in the constituency. 

The people of the Badami sector have seen projects which were never seen before. However, it has been heard that some senior leaders who played an important role in bringing the party to Badami with the strategy of killing two birds with one stone along with Asama Dhana, who was in the party in terms of party organization, unification of the leaders here, and their contribution to the entire district, have moved away and left the field thinking that it may be a problem in the next election. However, the opinion of most people is that Badami is far away from Bangalore and has chosen the Kolar constituency which is close to Bangalore so that it is easy to travel to different parts of the state. Be that as it may, some are of the opinion that the political rebirth should not have left the field.

Who is Siddaramaiah’s successor to Badami? 

There are 12 aspirants in the field as Congress leaders are battling for Siddaramaiah’s position as CM. 

Earlier, when he was Chief Minister, he had left Varuna constituency to his son and chose Chamundeshwari constituency.

In addition, at the last minute, he had also submitted his nomination papers in the almond field. At that time, AICC had announced a ticket for Dr. Devaraja Patil, a famous doctor for Badami constituency. When Siddaramaiah contested from Badami constituency, the local Congress leaders unitedly worked in his favor. There was a lot of discussion in the political circle that the people of Badami have given Siddaramaiah a political rebirth by winning over him.

As Siddaramaiah is sure to leave the field, competition for tickets in the party is sure to intensify. 

Around 12 people have applied for the Eaga Ga Le Badami ticket. Among these, the name of Former Minister B.B. and the young leader Holabasu Shetta, who has been Siddaramaiah’s staunch disciple for the past several years and Siddaramaiah’s successor for the past four years, has been taking care of the work of the entire constituency. The names of Chimmanakatti’s son Bhimasena Chimmanakatti and Mahesh Hosagowda are also in the forefront.