Siddaramaiah eyes chief ministerial record in Karnataka, D K Shivakumar keeps mum

Forget matching D Devaraj Urs’ tenure, Siddaramaiah’s desire is to create a new record by spending 10 years in office.

Siddaramaiah needs to remain as chief minister for another 326 days - stalling his deputy D K Shivakumar’s ambition - to match D Devaraj Urs’ record as the longest-serving executive head of the state.

Urs was the chief minister twice and spent 2,792 days in office, which is about 7.6 years. Siddaramaiah, too, is in his second term as CM, having spent 2,466 days in office. That’s about 6.7 years.

If all goes well for Siddaramaiah, he will match Urs’ record on January 6, 2026.

Forget matching Urs’ tenure, Siddaramaiah’s desire is to create a new record by spending 10 years in office.

He expressed this during an interview with a Kannada news channel on Wednesday.

Some ministers on Thursday clamoured for Siddaramaiah to create that record by completing his full term now.

“When Siddaramaiah was elected as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader (in 2023), we weren’t told that this would be only for two-and-a-half years. We believe he’ll be the CM for the full five-year term. When that happens, it’ll naturally become a record. I hope that happens,” Home Minister G Parameshwara said when asked about Siddaramaiah’s desire.

Industries Minister M B Patil said Siddaramaiah was here to stay. “Devaraj Urs was the chief minister for about seven years. The CM (Siddaramaiah) is about to complete seven years. He’ll actually complete ten years. He’ll complete the full term,” he said. “We will fight under (Siddaramaiah’s) leadership in the next election and return to power,” Patil added.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah’s desire, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa said, “Is it wrong? In public life, there’s nothing called retirement. He (Siddaramaiah) is very clear that the purpose and intention of public life is to serve the state and people. When such is the fact, there is no question of any doubts.”

These statements are being widely seen as an attempt to scuttle Shivakumar’s prospects of becoming the CM amid rumours about a power-sharing agreement he has with Siddaramaiah. It is also said that Siddaramaiah’s supporters do not want him to transfer power to Shivakumar.

The clamour for Siddaramaiah to remain the CM also comes at a time when a section of party leaders wants Shivakumar removed as the Karnataka Congress president.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar declined to comment about statements made by his Cabinet colleagues that Siddaramaiah would complete the full five-year term.