Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], July 28 : Karnataka Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that his father and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would continue to remain active in politics despite deciding not to contest the 2028 Assembly elections.
Reacting to Siddaramaiah's statement that he would not contest the 2028 Assembly elections, Yathindra Siddaramaiah told reporters, "While resigning from the Chief Minister post itself, he had said that he would not contest elections in 2028. However, he would continue to remain active in politics and continue to raise his voice in favour of the downtrodden."
On the proposed Cabinet expansion, the minister said, "Today, the High Command has called our CM, my father, and other leaders for discussions. Once the discussion is over, they will take the final decision on whom to induct into the Cabinet."
Responding to speculation that the former Chief Minister had been sidelined in the party, Yathindra Siddaramaiah rejected the suggestion.
"My father has not been sidelined. If he had been sidelined, the High Command would not have called him to discuss cabinet expansion. The fact that the High Command has called him for discussions on cabinet expansion itself shows that Siddaramaiah Sir is not sidelined in the party," he said.
This came hours after Siddaramaiah announced that he would not contest the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, citing the changing nature of politics, his advancing age and health, while asserting that he would remain active in public life.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said the political landscape had become "corrupted" and that he had decided not to contest any future elections.
"Since the political field has become corrupted today, I will not contest in the 2028 assembly elections. However, remaining active in politics, I will continue to stand as a voice for the people's hardships and joys," he said.