Happily quitting electoral politics, no regrets, says senior Cong leader & ex-CM Veerappa Moily

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Wednesday the party has given him everything and he has no regrets over quitting electoral politics.

The former union minister was keen to contest from Chikballapur -- from where he had won in 2009 and 2014 Parliamentary polls but lost in 2019 -- in the coming Lok Sabha elections but was denied the ticket.

"It was a good pretext for me to retire (from electoral politics)." The 84-year-old said he readily agreed when the Central leadership of the Congress -- pointing out that party leaders of similar age like M Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi are also not contesting this time -- told him to give up his claim.

"I would have won in Chikballapur again this time, Moily told PTI here a day after he announced retirement from electoral politics, noting that he had continued to nurture the constituency and it was difficult to cut off his relationships with the people of the segment".

He underlined that he was not disillusioned by the party's move to not field him, saying he always abided by the high-command's decisions.

"I do not want to show to the people that I am greedy about power or greedy about positions. I will continue to work for the party. I will not contest elections. I will continue to work for and serve the party," Moily said.

He recalled that he had won the Assembly elections for six terms consecutively and even though he belonged to a "very microscopic community" he was made minister and given key portfolios and went on to become chief minister.

Moily noted that under UPA II headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he was made minister and got the opportunity to hold six portfolios.

He had earlier also served as AICC in-charge of states like Assam, the then undivided Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, among others.

"I enjoyed all the positions. The party has given me everything. I am happily quitting (electoral politics). I have no regrets at all," he said, adding, he is always grateful to Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, late Rajiv Gandhi and late Indira Gandhi for giving him "these positions" and for taking him into confidence in party affairs.

Moily said he would canvas for the party candidates in Chikballapur, Udupi-Chikmagalur and Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha segments and wherever the party wants him to.