KALABURAGI: Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, whose political career spans 47 years and has not been defeated in any election so far, has indicated that he will retire from electoral politics after the forthcoming Lok Sabha election.

Kharge, who was addressing a public programme organised by the government for laying of the foundation stone for several works at Sedam on Wednesday, used the occasion to make the annnouncement and said, “The voters of Gurmitkal constituency of the undivided Kalaburagi district have elected me with a margin of 9,000 votes in 1972  for the first time. The margin increased to 18,000 in the second elections, 20,000 in the third elections and 22,000 in the fourth elections from Gurmitkal constituency.

“In the previous LS election from Kalaburagi constituency, the margin of victory was 49,000. The people of Kalaburagi have elected me continuously in the last 11 elections and will elect me another time, and that will be the last time (Hannondu-Innodu, Hanneradakke Mugiyuttade). Kharge told the gathering that electing or defeating him is in the hands of voters. None expect the voters can defeat him in the elections. As long as he enjoys blessings and love of the people, nobody can defeat him, Kharge said.

Reacting to the announcement by his mentor Kharge, Kalaburagi District Congress Committee president Jagadev Guttedar said, “Once we enter public life, the decision of the public is final,” Guttedar said.
However, Kalaburagi district (Rural) unit president of BJP, Doddappa Gowda Patil Naribol, claimed that Kharge is feeling the heat of Narendra Modi’s popularity and may have said so only to gain public sympathy. Communist Party (M) leader Maruti Manpade too felt that Kharge may have said so to gain voter sympathy. Age and health factors could also be behind the announcement, he added.