Karnataka Assembly election: Siddaramaiah says his son has not yet sought ticket to contest polls

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said his son has not sought ticket from the Congress party to contest the 2018 Assembly polls and is yet to decide on it.

“My son has not asked for ticket….he has not asked, not yet decided. If public wants him to contest, he will contest,” Siddaramaiah told reporters at Hosadurga in response to a question.

Asked about giving tickets to children of other party leaders and ministers, he said: “let’s see, it is the high-command that decides…”

Speculation is rife that Siddaramaiah who has already indicated that the 2018 Assembly polls could “most likely” be his last election, is keen on fielding his son, Yatindra, from Varuna in Mysuru.

A doctor by profession, Yatindra stayed away from the limelight till his elder brother Rakesh’s death in July 2016.

He is now involved in supervising development works in his father’s constituency.

Siddaramaiah, who represents Varuna after it became a constituency in 2008 following delimitation, has expressed his intention to contest from his earlier constituency Chamundeshwari.

Making his debut in the Assembly in 1983, Siddaramaiah got elected from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal party ticket, from where he has won five times and tasted defeat twice.