Not interested in national politics, says Siddaramaiah after resigning as Karnataka CM

AS he submitted his surrender to the regulator’s power, mysore chief government minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the party had offered to move him to the Rajya Sabha but he had declined the offer since he preferred to remain in state politics“They have asked me to go to the Rajya Sabha. I have politely told them no, saying I want to remain in state politics and I am not interested in national politics,” Siddaramaiah told reporters at a press conference after handing over his resignation.The outgoing chief minister said he would continue in public life and complete his remaining term as an MLA. “I have two more years as an MLA. I will serve my people. I will continue in active politics,” he said.ALSO READ | 'I resign, up to high command now': Siddaramaiah leaves Karnataka on cliffhanger, CM post not Shivakumar's yetFlanked by his deputy and challenger, DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah was asked whom he preferred as his successor. Siddaramaiah didn’t take any names. “Whoever the high command and CLP choose will be the CM of the state,” he said.The Congress veteran said he had already handed over his resignation letter, though governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was out of Bengaluru. “The governor is not in town. The resignation letter has been given to his office, to the secretary,” he said.Siddaramaiah acknowledged that he was stepping down on instructions from the Congress leadership.“I have been saying this for a while that whenever the high command asks me, I will tender my resignation,” he said.Track Karnataka CM news live updates“Recently, the high command asked for it. I told them I will give the resignation today,” he said, an apparent reference to the marathon meetings on Tuesday between the party leadership, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.Siddaramaiah said he expected the governor to complete the formalities after returning to the state capital.“Once the CM gives the resignation, to accept it and let the next CM take over is his responsibility… We have a majority and letting the next CM take over is constitutional.”During the hour-long interaction, Siddaramaiah repeatedly returned to the themes such as social justice and welfare politics that have shaped his political identity over four decades in public life. “I believe the Constitution is our Dharma and voters our deities,” he said. “I believe all castes, religions and communities should live as one.”ALSO READ | What next for Siddaramaiah? Congress leader reveals his plan after stepping down as Karnataka CMRecalling his rise from rural Karnataka, Siddaramaiah described his political journey as unlikely.“I came from a village. I never thought I’d become an MLA, minister or chief minister,” he said. “My entry into politics is accidental. Nobody in my family was in politics.”He thanked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for supporting him after he joined the party following his expulsion from the Janata Dal (Secular).“Sonia Gandhi invited me to the Congress party in 2008 when I was expelled from JD(S) for mobilising under the AHINDA banner,” he said, referring to the sociopolitical platform in Karnataka, representing minorities, backward classes, and Dalits.Siddaramaiah defended his government’s guarantee schemes and rejected allegations that welfare spending had weakened the state’s finances.“There were misinformation campaigns against me, including by the prime minister of the country, saying our treasury will be empty and there won’t be any money for welfare schemes,” he said.“But after we launched the five guarantee schemes, Karnataka is number one in per capita income and number two in GST collection.”Responding to allegations about debt, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka remained within fiscal limits. “Fiscal deficit should be under 3%. We are at 2.95%. Debt should be 25% of GSDP. We are at 24.94%,” he said.He said the state’s revenue deficit was linked to the previous BJP government and lower-than-expected allocations from the Finance Commission. “The purchasing power of people’s lives has improved because of the guarantee schemes,” he added.Siddaramaiah also used the occasion to restate his ideological position and his opposition to communal politics. “Until my last breath, I will fight against communal forces,” he said. “If there were no Constitution, I would never have become literate, MLA, DyCM or CM. My parents were illiterate.”The outgoing chief minister said he had no regrets about his political career and insisted he had never compromised his principles.“I never believed in making a fortune for myself,” he said. “Only those with people power can come to power. It is people who bring us to power… I stand by the values I believe in and have never compromised my ideology,” he added.