2,792 days later, Siddaramaiah stands on the cusp of history, legacy still in the making
The achievement of the Congress leader, who is set to overtake Devraj Urs as the longest-serving Karnataka CM on Wednesday, comes amid a leadership tussle in the party.
Siddaramaiah will surpass D Devaraj Urs as the longest-serving CM on January 7. (File Photo) In a state that has frequently faced political instability, only two Karnataka Chief Ministers have completed the full term of five years in the last five decades: D Devaraj Urs and Siddaramaiah. On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah equalled Urs’s record as the longest-serving CM of the southern state at 2,792 days and will surpass him on January 7.
This has come at a time when a power tussle in the Congress has intensified amid speculation about a change in CM, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation was fueled by an alleged “power-sharing” pact between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.
However, the CM on Tuesday said the party high command would have to decide on the matter and that he was confident about completing the full five-year term. Siddaramaiah said he had not entered politics to set records and this one was just a coincidence. “At the most, I wanted to be an MLA. But I became minister, Deputy CM, Leader of Opposition, and CM. It was only possible because I got the right opportunities,” he said.
Rise in politics
For Siddaramaiah, this has been one long journey from humble beginnings in Mysuru. Born in a Kuruba family in the village of Siddaramanahundi in August 1948, he herded cattle in his childhood and learned to read and write only when he joined a folk troupe, as he was disinterested in school.
His entry into politics began during his days as a law student at the Sarada Vilas Law College in Mysuru, influenced by renowned farmer leader and Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) founder Prof M D Nanjundaswamy. The CM has spoken about two lathi-charges he faced during protests in his student days, before his association with the Samajawadi Yuvajana Sabha and KRRS.
Siddaramaiah’s rebellion in the KRRS — which led to his expulsion — over whether it should contest the 1983 state polls is what seemingly kick-started his political career. He contested the elections on a Bharatiya Lok Dal ticket and won from Chamundeshwari, three years after his loss in the Lok Sabha polls. He then moved to the Janata Party and his ministerial stints began after the Janata Party’s win in the 1985 mid-term polls. In different Janata Dal governments over the subsequent years, Siddaramaiah was an integral part of the Cabinet, holding portfolios such as Transport, Finance, and Deputy CM.
While his first rebellion stemmed from his desire to foray into politics, his second, against the growing dominance of Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s family in the regional party’s affairs, was rooted in his ambition to become the CM. After the Congress and the JD(S) formed an alliance due to a fractured verdict in 2004, Siddaramaiah again became Deputy CM but fell out with Gowda.
By organising the Ahinda convention — Ahinda is a Kannada acronym for a coalition of minorities, Backward Classes, and Dalits — in Hubballi in August 2004, Siddaramaiah cemented his identity as a mass leader throughout the state, angering Gowda in the process. He was expelled from the JD(S) and floated the All India Progressive Janata Dal in 2005 for a short period, before joining the Congress the following year.
Quickly climbing the ranks in the new party, he was appointed Leader of Opposition in 2009. Due to his appeal among Ahinda communities and the scandals that hurt the BJP, Siddaramaiah was instrumental in the Congress securing a clear majority, paving the way for his appointment as CM for the first time.
A mass leader
Despite public criticism, even Opposition leaders admit that Siddaramaiah is among the last leaders in the state with a “mass appeal” — Deve Gowda and BJP leader B S Yediyurappa being the other two. His appeal in the Mysuru region is due to his role in several progressive movements, while his charm across the state relies on his ability to connect with the voters. An entertaining orator due to his rustic style, the CM has admirers and detractors across the state in equal measure.
The Anna Bhagya scheme, which implemented the Right to Food in the state, was among his landmark initiatives during his first term. Similarly, the five guarantee schemes are among the major features — in terms of welfare measures — of his second term.
Having presented 16 budgets to date, eight as CM, Siddaramaiah is considered an authority on state finances, and his rivals as well as party colleagues also acknowledge his debating skills in the state legislature.
Despite the successes in implementing welfare projects, his dream — and also a Congress manifesto assurance — of implementing the recommendations of the survey conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes remains unfulfilled. For Siddaramaiah, implementing the proposals of the caste survey will be a legacy-defining achievement. Though the CM pushed to implement the report of the previous Commission earlier in 2025, it was thwarted by dominant communities, forcing him to commission another survey.
Compared to his first term, when Siddaramaiah was the undisputed leader, his second term has been characterised by a tussle with Shivaumar over the top job. However, Siddaramaiah is said to be unfazed, knowing that he commands the support of most party MLAs. The second tenure has also been marked by corruption allegations in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in which he was cleared of wrongdoing.
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