Siddaramaiah Set to Become Karnataka’s Longest-Serving Chief Minister

Achieving a Historic Milestone

In a significant political milestone, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is poised to surpass the late D. Devaraj Urs as the longest-serving chief minister of Karnataka on January 6. He emphasized that the two leaders should not be compared due to their distinct social backgrounds.

“Tomorrow, with the blessings of the people, I will break late D. Devaraj Urs’ record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka. A point of pride is that both Urs and I hail from Mysuru,” Siddaramaiah informed reporters.

Reflecting on His Journey

Siddaramaiah recounted his political journey, stating, “I initially thought I would only serve as an MLA after becoming a Taluk Board member. To date, I have won eight elections.” He added that he has contested in a total of 13 elections, including Taluk elections, despite experiencing losses in two parliamentary and two assembly elections.

Social Dynamics in Leadership

Clarifying comparisons, he noted, “Devaraj Urs was not from a socially backward background; he was part of a forward class, the ruling class, and belonged to a community that is relatively smaller in population. Yet, he was a popular leader," as he quoted from PTI.

Evolution of Political Landscape

Siddaramaiah candidly discussed how the political landscape has evolved: “In 1962, people gave him money and votes. Times have changed significantly since then.”

Future Possibilities and Records

Regarding the prospect of his record being broken, he stated, “Records are meant to be broken. I never claimed my record could never be surpassed. There may be someone who emerges to break my record of the longest-serving Chief Minister or the one who presented the maximum budgets.” Siddaramaiah has presented 16 budgets in his tenure.

Upcoming Celebrations and Developments

On the celebrations for his upcoming milestone, Siddaramaiah revealed, “State Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda is planning something, but I don’t have the details yet. I will discuss this with him.”

Cabinet Reshuffle Plans

Addressing the topic of a potential cabinet reshuffle, he mentioned, “It is necessary and I will coordinate with Rahul Gandhi when he reaches out. I have indicated that I will discuss this with him in January.”