'Will serve full term': Siddaramaiah rules out leadership change speculation

Bengaluru: Amid speculation within the Congress party over a possible leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday reiterated that he will serve a full five-year term.

Speaking to the media from Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapura district ahead of a cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah was clear when asked about completing his tenure, "Yes, I will be the Chief Minister for the full five years."

He went on to challenge the narrative suggesting instability, "Why do you (media) have doubts about this? It is always the BJP and JD(S) that make such statements. B. Y. Vijayendra and R. Ashoka are BJP leaders. Their statements don't make any difference. The media must verify the facts," Siddaramaiah remarked.

Addressing internal party dynamics, he clarified the limitations of ministerial appointments. "In a democracy, every MLA of the ruling party has the right to aspire to become a minister. We currently have 142 MLAs, but only 34 have been inducted into the cabinet. As per constitutional provisions, only 15 per cent of the total MLAs can be appointed as ministers," he clarified.

Dismissing any notions of internal discord, Siddaramaiah affirmed, "Our government is united. I have already addressed this matter in Mysuru. Our government is rock solid. We will complete the five-year term."

Siddaramaiah accused the opposition parties of spreading misinformation about the Congress-led government’s stability. He remarked that they had done nothing during their time in power and backed Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar’s call for them to provide evidence of development work undertaken under their tenure.

He further alleged that the opposition had made no significant contributions in sectors such as irrigation, public works, education, or health. Referring to Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy’s earlier tenure as Chief Minister during the coalition government, along with the BJP’s four-year rule, Siddaramaiah questioned their record and accused them of misleading the public.

Citing popular support for his administration, Siddaramaiah pointed to a recent event in Hospet commemorating two years of Congress rule, where he said nearly three lakh people gathered despite heavy rain—an indication, he claimed, of strong public approval.

Addressing concerns about the ongoing survey related to internal reservations, he explained that there are 101 sub-castes within the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. While a door-to-door survey was underway, he noted that an online option was also made available to accommodate individuals—particularly in cities like Bengaluru—where social stigma may prevent people from openly identifying with those communities.

On the special cabinet meeting held at Nandi Hills, Siddaramaiah stated that the focus was on the Bengaluru Revenue Division. He added that similar meetings had previously been held for the Belagavi and Mysuru revenue divisions and that a meeting for the Bijapur revenue division would follow soon.