Siddaramaiah equals Devaraj Urs' record as longest serving CM, confident of completing term

Mysuru/Bengaluru, Jan 6 (PTI) Siddaramaiah on Tuesday equalled veteran Devaraj Urs' record as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka and expressed confidence about him completing the full five-year term while maintaining that the Congress high command will have to decide on it.

Siddaramaiah's deputy and another claimant to the CM's chair, DK Shivakumar wished the CM "good luck," while responding to his remarks on completion of term.

On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah achieved a key milestone by equalling Urs' record of number of days in office, as the longest serving CM of Karnataka for 2,792 days, and will surpass it on January 7.

This unique record has come even as the power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation was fueled by the "power-sharing" pact between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.

"I have not done politics to break any record; it is only a coincidence. I did not know how many years and days Devaraj Urs served as CM. Today because of the blessings of the people, I have got an opportunity to equal Devaraj Urs's record. Tomorrow it will be broken," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru.

Asked if he will create another record by completing the full five-year term, he said it has to be decided by the Congress high command. "I don't know when the high command will decide." To a question whether he has confidence about completing the full term and that the high command will decide in his favour, he said, "I have confidence. If I had no confidence, how would I have been the Chief Minister?... it all depends upon the high command's decision." Regarding his meeting with AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said the Congress leader was on his way to Bengaluru from Wayanad, before heading for Delhi. "As he was in Mysuru and I too was here, we met." Ruling out any discussion on cabinet reshuffle during the meeting, in response to a question as to when it can be expected, he said it will be discussed with party high command when he is called.

Meanwhile, reacting to a question on Siddaramaiah's remarks on completing term, Shivakumar in Bengaluru told reporters, "Let good things happen. I wish him all the best. Good luck." Asked whether the chief minister's statement could lead to confusion, Shivakumar said, "You (the media) are creating confusion. We don't have any confusion. You have confusion. I wish him all the best, good luck." Shivakumar also congratulated Siddaramaiah for equalling Urs' record. "I wish him success. May God bless him. I pray that God gives him good health and the opportunity to serve the people".

Urs, who is considered an icon of social justice and land reforms in the state, was a two-term chief minister -- for 2,113 days from March 20, 1972 to December 31, 1977, and for 679 days in his second term from February 28, 1978, to January 7, 1980.

Siddaramaiah, who is also the only CM after Urs to complete five years, was in the office for 1,829 days in his first term from May 13, 2013, to May 15, 2018. In his second term so far, since May 20, 2023, he has completed 963 days.

Noting that he had never thought of any records, the CM said, the maximum he had thought of was becoming an MLA once.

"I became MLA, I got opportunities, I became minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition, and became the Chief Minister too. I got opportunities, and I have performed the duties," he said.

Stating that his political journey has been so long has given him "satisfaction", the chief minister said, serving people is something that gives happiness to him. "Politics means doing justice for the poor, Dalits, backward, and doing their work," he said.

Siddaramaiah's supporters celebrated their leader's accomplishment by organising feasts at several places, with dishes made out of his favourite "nati koli" (country chicken).

Reacting to this and to a question that he has become a brand ambassador of sorts for 'nati koli' dishes, Siddaramaiah said he doesn't know about it, and who was organising feasts.

Many Ministers considered close to Siddaramaiah, expressed confidence about him completing term.

Home Minister G Parameshwar, also seen as chief ministerial aspirant in case of change said, "when he (Siddaramaiah) himself is confident about completing the term, we too are confident (about him completing the term)." Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who is close to Siddaramaiah said, it will be good if the Chief Minister completes his full tenure.

Senior Congress MLA and former Minister K N Rajanna said he has conveyed his desire to Siddaramaiah that he continue as CM and should remain in office in 2028 too.

"Without Yediyurappa, there is no BJP (in Karnataka). Without Deve Gowda and family, there is no JD(S), and without Siddaramaiah there is no Congress.....Siddaramaiah is a mass puller and if he is in the party Congress will get votes, this is my personal opinion," he said.

Opposition BJP meanwhile taking a dig said there was no reason for people to feel good about Siddaramaiah's accomplishment as longest serving CM, citing alleged corruption and lack of development in the state. PTI KSU SA