Siddaramaiah: ‘I will remain CM for five years, we will return to power in 2028'

A discussion on the alleged discrimination over the allocation of development grants by a Congress MLA in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly turned into a heated discussion on the longevity of the Chief Minister's tenure.

During the exchange on the CM's post, Siddaramaiah pushed back against the attacks by the Opposition declaring, “I will remain the Chief Minister for five years. We will return to power in 2028 as well.”

For the past few weeks, the ruling Congress party in the state has been grappling with an open power tussle between its two tallest leaders – chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. Both the leaders had two breakfast meetings to show solidarity but the crisis over the CM's chair continues to simmer.

MLA flags fund allocation

It all started when Kunigal MLA Dr Ranganath openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his own government, questioning what he described as unequal distribution of funds across constituencies.

“You have allocated ₹100 crore to Madhugiri constituency. Why is my constituency being denied similar grants?” Ranganath asked. He also claimed that a ₹1,000 crore grant sanctioned for Kunigal had been withheld.

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Responding to the allegations, Siddaramaiah denied any discrimination in funding. “No constituency has faced cuts,” he said, adding that if there had been any significant reduction, the matter would be reviewed.

Opposition targets Congress

Leader of the Opposition R Ashok seized on the internal dissent to target the Congress government, questioning Siddaramaiah’s ability to complete his term.

“He (Ranganath) is upset because he hasn’t got the Chief Minister’s chair, or because he is eyeing it,” Ashok remarked, before asking directly, “Will you remain Chief Minister for the full five years?”

In response, Siddaramaiah asserted the government’s stability, citing the support of 140 MLAs.

“The people of Karnataka have blessed us. I will remain Chief Minister for five years. Not only that, we will win again in 2028. The people will not give you an opportunity either,” he said.

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Home Minister G Parameshwara backed the Chief Minister, stating that Siddaramaiah’s confidence stemmed from the clear majority supporting him.

Ashok, however, responded sarcastically, remarking, “See, only Parameshwara is supporting Siddaramaiah.”

Bringing the exchange to a close, Siddaramaiah reiterated his position, saying he would continue as Chief Minister “as long as the high command decides.”

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)