CM Siddaramaiah gives mixed signals about his tenure, sparks debate in Assembly

Belagavi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave mixed signals about his tenure during a heated discussion on the leadership tussle with his deputy D K Shivakumar in the Assembly on Tuesday. 

“We [Congress] are in the government. I am the CM now...as long as the high command [wants],” Siddaramaiah said, giving ammunition to the Opposition BJP.

“You kept saying you’ll be the CM for a full five-year term,” BJP’s V Sunil Kumar said. 

To this, Siddaramaiah retorted: “Even now, I’m the CM. I’ll be CM going forward as well.”

This exchange happened during Question Hour when Kunigal Congress MLA H D Ranganath raised the issue of very few farmers receiving cooperative crop loans in his constituency.

Ranganath is a known Shivakumar loyalist. The MLA’s grouse was that Madhugiri taluk, represented by Siddaramaiah’s aide K N Rajanna, was proritised over Kunigal. “I want this discrimination to be fixed,” he said.

“Ranganath has raised the issue with outrage. Have faith in me. If there’s any discrimination, we’ll address it,” Siddaramaiah, who holds the cooperation porfolio, told the MLA. 

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka asked Siddaramaiah if Ranganath was discriminated against for supporting Shivakumar’s chief ministerial ambition. 

“Don’t rub salt on a wound,” Siddaramaiah said. “Does that mean there is a wound?” Ashoka asked. 

“None of our MLAs will be provoked despite attempts by the Opposition,” Siddaramaah declared. “People have blessed with a mandate for five years. All 140 MLAs are with us. Don’t try to meddle. We will complete our term,” he said. 

BJP’s S Suresh Kumar pointed out that Siddaramaiah had gone from ‘I’ to ‘we’. He said: “You were saying, ‘I will be CM for a full term’. You’re now saying, ‘We will complete the full term’.” 

Siddaramaiah clarified that he would abide by the Congress high command’s decision. “People have blessed us for five years. People haven’t blessed the BJP even once. We will return to power in 2028. I know the pulse of people,” he said. “Next election, their [BJP] numbers will be lower.”

Home Minister G Parameshwara intervened during the arguments to say that Siddaramaiah had clarified on the government completing its term. “What more clarity do you want?” he said.

Ashoka quipped, “Parameshwara has always sided with Siddaramaiah, perhaps sensing an opportunity for himself.”