A renewed energy seems to have been infused into the 75-year old Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s gait as he walked to address a packed press conference in Mysore on Saturday.
“This (election result in Karnataka) will be a stepping stone for Congress’ victory in 2024,” Siddaramaiah said, losing no time in sending the signal that he has set his sights set on the future.
In the run up to the elections, Siddaramaiah’s appeal was sombre.
“This is my last election. I will retire from electoral politics”, the senior Congress leader had repeatedly said.
And now it appears that the sprightly Congress leader, who made no secret of his ambition to occupy the post of Chief Minister, is looking at what lay ahead.
The main race for top post is between Siddaramaiah, who served as Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018, and Congress state unit President D K Shivakumar.
In fact, he edged out M Mallikarjun Kharge, now the AICC President and the then Union Labour and Employment Minister, at the 2013 Legislature Party meeting to become chief minister.