DKS fielded at Kanakapura, Siddu in Varuna

BENGALURU: Congress State unit president DK Shivakumar and Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, who are chief ministerial aspirants in the event of the party coming to power in Karnataka, are among the prominent leaders who figure in the first list of candidates for the Assembly polls, due by May, announced on Saturday.

While Shivakumar is predictably contesting from Kanakapura, Siddaramaiah is returning to his home turf of Varuna in Mysuru district, which is currently represented by his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah.

Yathindra’s name does not figure for any other segment in the first list of 124 candidates. Siddaramiah, however said, he wants to contest from two seats.

“I had said, it is left for the high command to decide (the constituency). High command has asked me to contest from Varuna. I have said, I will contest from two constituencies, from Kolar and here, again it is left to the high command,” Siddaramaih said.

He said, his son Yathidra will not be contesting from any seat.

Siddaramaiah who currently represents Badami in Bagalkote district, had earlier announced that he will be contesting from Kolar, but backtracked after party leadership reportedly cautioned him regarding the “risks”.

The principal opposition party in the Assembly, which has set a target of winning at least 150 seats, has not yet announced any candidate for Kolar and Badami.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah, in the event of him winning from both the seats, plans to vacate Varuna seat, and field Yathindra from there in bypoll.

BENGALURU: Congress legislature party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said he wants to contest from two seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, as the party fielded him from his home turf of Varuna in Mysuru district.

He said he wants to contest from Kolar too along with Varuna, if the party agrees.

The Congress earlier in the day announced its first list of 124 candidates for the polls, due by May, which included the announcement of Siddaramiah’s candidacy from Varuna. This marks the return of the 75-year-old leader to his home constituency, which is currently represented by his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah, after a gap of five years.

Siddaramaiah had earlier won twice from Varuna in 2008 and 2013, and even went on to become the Chief Minister after winning from there in 2013. He had zeroed in on Varuna, after weighing on various options.

“I had said, it is left for the high command to decide (regarding the constituency). High Command has asked me to contest from Varuna. I have said, I will contest from two constituencies, from Kolar and here, again it is left to the high command,” Siddaramaih said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, his son Yathidra will not be contesting from any constituency.

The Congress has not yet announced any candidate for the Kolar seat, and also Badami, which Siddaramaiah currently represents.

According to some party functionaries, Siddaramaiah, in the event of winning from both the seats, plans to vacate Varuna seat, and field Yathindra from there in the subsequent bypolls.

Siddaramaiah, who is nursing Chief Ministerial ambitions and was looking for a “safe seat”, had announced in January that he will be contesting the polls from the Kolar, reportedly after conducting surveys, subject to the approval of the party’s Central leadership. However, there were reports last week that Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi had advised him not to contest from Kolar, which is said to be “risky” for him.

Siddaramaiah had announced in January that he will be contesting from Kolar, reportedly after conducting surveys