Siddaramaiah says he will be Karnataka CM for 5 years

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he will be in office for a full five-year term.

He said that the Congress party was united and the party's government will be in power "solid as a rock" for five years.

"Yes, I will be. Why do you have the doubts?" Siddaramaiah said in response to a question by reporters whether he will be the CM for five years.

There has been speculation within political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

However, Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is no discussion on leadership change and stressed on strengthening the hands of CM Siddaramaiah and the party's government in the state.

Responding to a question on claims by the BJP and JD(S) leaders that the CM will be replaced, Siddaramaiah shot back, "Are they our high command?" "R Ashoka (Leader of Opposition in the Assembly) is a BJP man. B Y Vijayendra (state BJP President) is a BJP man. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy (Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council) is a BJP man. Will you write if they say such things? Should you verify or not?" he asked.

Alleging the BJP of spreading lies about the stability of the government, Siddaramaiah said that the Congress party was united and the government will be in power "solid as a rock" for five years.

"No one believes in the BJP. They only lie. They are experts in lying. They don't know how to speak the truth. So, whether they believe it or not, we don't know. We are all together (in Congress). As I have said in Mysuru recently, we will be in power for five years. Our government will be as solid as a rock. BJP people are daydreaming," he said.

Accusing the BJP of doing nothing while in power, he asked, what evidence have they left to say that they have worked for the development of the state in sectors such as -- irrigation, rural development, public works, education, and health? "They (BJP) were in power for about four years and for 1.2 years in coalition government with JD(S) under H D Kumaraswamy's Chief Ministership. What have they done? They have done nothing. By lying they are trying to mislead the people," he added.

Responding to a question on ministerial aspirants in the Congress, the CM said the Congress high command will decide.

"In a democracy, everyone has the right to become a CM. The high command (of Congress) will ultimately decide. There are about 140 people (legislators) in our party. Only 34 people can be made ministers. Can everybody be made minister?" he asked.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar asserted that there is no disgruntlement within the ruling Congress and when Siddaramaiah is there as the CM, there is no need for any discord on the leadership issue.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.