# Siddaramaiah, 79, announces retirement from electoral politics 2026-08-08T11:02:59+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Karnataka’s former chief minister Siddaramaiah, 79, said on July 25 in Mandya that he will not contest future elections. “I have arrived at the decision not to contest in future elections,” he told a gathering, citing age and failing health. His move comes nearly two months after he stepped down as chief minister, making way for D.K. Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah, who began his political career in 1978 as a taluk board member, led the Congress to a landslide victory in Karnataka in 2023. The veteran is best remembered for his defiant stand against the Supreme Court in 2016 over Cauvery water sharing, when he refused to release water to Tamil Nadu and won support across party lines. ## Coverage - frontline.thehindu.com Tags: Cauvery water dispute, Congress, D K Shivakumar, Karnataka politics, political retirement, Siddaramaiah Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/siddaramaiah-79-announces-retirement-from-electoral-politics/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/siddaramaiah-79-announces-retirement-from-electoral-politics/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.