BJP MLC and former Minister A.H. Vishwanath on Thursday said he would remain out of electoral politics as he did not have the money that was required to fight the elections.

“Contesting elections now is not a child’s play. It costs ₹50 crore. Where do I have such money?”, said Mr. Vishwanath when reporters asked him if he planned to contest the next Assembly elections as his term as MLC is nearing an end.

Mr. Vishwanath said contesting elections is now possible only for real estate players, who sell sites for ₹1 crore or ₹2 crore each. “I have only one site and I have built a house,” he remarked.

He recalled that he was brought into politics by former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs and his first election expenditure cost him ₹45,000 out of which Mr. Urs contributed ₹20,000. People also donated small amounts ranging from 50 paise to ₹1 as he had given services as a lawyer to the public.

No retirement from politics

Mr. Vishwanath, however, made it clear that there is no retirement in politics.

He also ruled out the possibility of his children’s future in politics. Though one of his sons was a member of the Zilla Panchayat and the director of a DCC bank, he is not aspiring to become an MLA, he said.

When asked which party he would associate with in future, the veteran politician said associating oneself with a party is not important. However, it is one’s agenda that is important.

He took a pot shot at the Congress, which he quit a couple of years ago and joined the JD(S) before the BJP nominated him to the Legislative Council. “Congress talks about social justice. Has it been able to provide adequate justice to people under its internal reservation policy?”, he questioned.

Referring to the proposed Ahinda convention planned by Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi in Hubbali to identify a leader for the movement after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Vishwanath asked if Mr. Jarkiholi originally hailed from the Congress.

While migrants from other parties like Mr. Siddaramaiah “came and sat in a house that was already built”, Mr. Vishwanath pointed out that leaders like Ministers R. Ramalinga Reddy and D.K. Shivakumar had worked to build the Congress party.