On his first visit to his hometown after stepping down as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah was accorded a grand welcome on Saturday evening, featuring energetic performances by folk troupes, traditional musical ensembles, and a giant garland made of apples.

On his arrival in the City in the evening, Mr. Siddaramaiah boarded an open vehicle at Highway Circle for a road show even as his admirers jostled with each other to get close to him and wave at him.

Mr. Siddaramaiah was accompanied by his close aide and former Minister H. C. Mahadevappa and Chamaraja MLA K. Harish Gowda on the open vehicle.

A large number of Mr. Siddaramaiah’s supporters and party workers from different parts of Mysuru City and district as well as from Varuna assembly constituency that he represents had gathered for the spectacular reception organised by Mysuru City and Mysuru district Congress Committees.

The large turnout of people for the reception shows that Mr. Siddaramaiah has not lost his aura even though he has stepped down as Chief Minister, pointed out a Congress worker.

Mr. Siddaramaiah has been a practitioner of value-based politics for the last 50 years. He has created a record by serving as Karnataka’s Chief Minister for a cumulative of eight years - from 2013 to 2018 and again from 2023 to 2026. 

He has sent a message to the society by gracefully stepping down as the Chief Minister of the State on the directions of the party leadership. “It is our moral responsibility to give the illustrious son of Mysuru a grand welcome on his arrival in his hometown,” said a party leader.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who will stay overnight in Mysuru, is scheduled to participate in a meeting of Congress party to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State on Sunday before returning to Bengaluru on Monday.