Siddaramaiah surpasses Devraj as longest-serving K’taka CM, says hope to complete 5-yr term

Speaking in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said he expected to continue as the chief minister for the remainder of the government’s tenure, while noting that the final decision rested with the Congress high command. His remarks came after he completed more than 2,793 days in office across his terms, surpassing the record set by Urs, who led Karnataka from 1972 to 1977 and again from 1978 to 1980, completing 2,792 days.

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar publicly backed Siddaramaiah and dismissed suggestions of confusion within the party. “Let good things happen. I wish him all the best. Good luck,” Shivakumar said, when asked about the CM’s comments. He added that reports of internal discord were misplaced. “You are creating confusion. We don’t have any confusion. You have confusion. I wish him all the best, good luck,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar congratulated Siddaramaiah on crossing the milestone and said he hoped the CM would continue to serve the people. “I wish him success. May God bless him. I pray that God gives him good health and the opportunity to serve the people,” he said.

The milestone comes at a politically sensitive moment, with speculation over a possible leadership change gaining momentum after the Congress government in Karnataka crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been linked to reports of a power-sharing understanding between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time the government was formed in 2023.

As the Congress sought to project unity, the Karnataka unit of the BJP used the occasion to mount a sweeping attack on Siddaramaiah’s tenure. In a lengthy post on X, the BJP framed the record not as an achievement but as evidence of alleged misgovernance, repeatedly referring to Siddaramaiah as the “outgoing” chief minister.

“Outgoing CM Siddaramaiah. Hey, you have finally become the CM for the longest time, limping, crawling, and fearing resignation. So, first of all, our congratulations to you. At this time, let us reminisce about your great achievements during your tenure as CM,” the post said.

The BJP accused the Congress government of misplacing priorities from the outset, alleging that ideological decisions were taken at the cost of public welfare. It cited the government-backed celebration of Tipu Jayanti and accused the administration of mishandling what it described as an unprecedented drought in Karnataka. It also alleged that anti-corruption mechanisms were weakened by replacing the Lokayukta with a weaker Anti-Corruption Bureau.

“Within a few days of becoming CM, you decided to celebrate the fanatic Tipu Jayanti by the government. Within a few days of becoming CM, you brought about an unprecedented drought in Karnataka. You nailed the capable Lokayukta and established a weak ACB,” the post said.

The opposition party also accused the government of deepening social divisions, pointing to the Veerashaiva Lingayat controversy and incidents it linked to fanaticism, including references to an Aurangzeb cutout and slogans raised inside the Vidhan Soudha. It alleged that the political environment led to attacks on Hindu activists and a decline in law and order.

Economic management formed another major line of attack. The BJP alleged that Karnataka accumulated the highest loan burden in its history under Siddaramaiah, accusing the government of borrowing heavily to fund what it called unrealistic guarantees, and contrasting his political image with allegations of personal extravagance.

“In your first term as CM, 4257 farmers of Karnataka committed suicide. They took the highest loan in the history of Karnataka. They wore expensive Hublot watches by calling themselves socialists,” the post said.

A series of corruption allegations followed, including claims of illegal land grabbing linked to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, siphoning of ₹187 crore from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation, and bribery in excise licence renewals. The party alleged that commission demands from contractors had risen to 60%.

“They illegally grabbed 14 sites in MUDA. They siphoned off ₹187 crore in the Maharishi Valmiki Corporation. In the name of excise licence renewal, they have set up a bribery scheme. They extended their hand to the contractors for 60% commission,” the post said.

The BJP accused the government of mishandling welfare schemes, alleging poor quality food supplied to children, denial of compensation to drought and flood-affected families, and demands for bribes linked to housing and worker kits. It also claimed mismanagement in schemes such as Grihalakshmi and the public distribution system.