Siddaramaiah Richer by Rs 6 Crore This Election; Wife's Income Has More Than Doubled Since 2013

Bengaluru: Siddaramaiah who is hoping for a second consecutive term as the Karnataka Chief Minister, has grown richer by Rs 6 crore in the last five years, says his affidavit filed with the Election Commission on Friday.

The chief minister declared assets worth more than Rs 11 crores, a Rs 6 crore increase from what he had declared in 2013. However, his liabilities, too, have doubled over the years. As the leader of opposition in the Legislative Assembly then, Siddaramaiah had declared a liability of Rs 1.1 crore for the 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections while this stands at Rs 2.5 crore in 2018.

Interestingly, his spouse's liabilities have grown four-fold to more than Rs 2 crore from less Rs 0.5 crore in 2013 while her income has more than doubled from less than Rs 3 crores in 2013 to more than Rs 7 crore in 2018.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting from the Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysore — a seat that he has contested from seven times in the past and won five times between 1983 and 2008. The seat is currently held by the JDS, a party that may give him some tough competition.

Chamundeshwari is also the seat Siddaramaiah had contested from in the 2006 by-election on a Congress ticket, after he was expelled from the JDS. The 257 vote margin with which he won against the JDS in the tightly fought election is something that he is constantly reminded of even after 12 years.

Calculating the risk, the Congress is considering to field him from two seats, the other one being Badami. Although Siddaramaiah dismissed the speculations a few days ago, he hinted at the possibility again on Friday.

The 68-year-old has also been playing a sentimental card this time that this would be the last time he is contesting any election while alleging that the BJP and JDS are colluding against him. He has put up a confident face throughout.

Varuna, the neighbouring constituency in Mysore from where he Siddaramaiah had contested the previous polls, has been given to his son Yatheendra who will mark his political debut in May 12 elections. Opposition leader, BJP’s Yeddyurappa is also expected to field his son BY Raghavendra from the same seat opposite Yatheendra.