‘Seat not empty; here for 5 yrs’: Siddaramaiah rules out leadership change in Karnataka

In an exclusive statement to India Today TV, Siddaramaiah said, “I will be Chief Minister for five years. I’ve already made it very clear. I made this statement on July 2 also. DK Shivakumar was also there on that day.”

Ruling out any mid-term exit or internal pressure to step down, he reiterated, “I will be in the same chair post one year also.”

On Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s ambitions, Siddaramaiah said candidly, “He is also an aspirant. There is nothing wrong with that. DK Shivakumar has himself said this, that ‘kursi abhi khali nahi hai’.”

Refuting claims that the Congress high command had set a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing arrangement, Siddaramaiah clarified, “Two and a half years was never decided. It is not correct... Mallikarjun Kharge has already said that ours is a high command party. Whatever they say, we have to follow. I will, and DK Shivakumar also will.”

On being asked if Congress leaders like Randeep Surjewala had questioned his leadership, Siddaramaiah denied any such discussion.

“As far as leadership is concerned, Surjewala has not asked any question,” he said, acknowledging some MLAs support Shivakumar, but “not many.”

Addressing concerns over the state’s finances, Siddaramaiah asserted, “There is no dearth of money. I am making it very clear. We have sufficient money.” He pushed back on claims of bankruptcy, explaining that demand from legislators pertains to special, not budgetary, grants. “How would it be possible to implement our guarantees if the government was bankrupt?” he asked.

Accusing the BJP-led Centre of misusing investigative agencies, Siddaramaiah alleged selective targeting of Congress leaders by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

“The ED is targeting the Congress. Myself and others — MLAs and Ministers — have been targeted. The ED even raided premises linked to Home Minister Parameshwara’s college. They are only targeting us. Why?” he said.

On the tragic stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, the CM said the RCB and KSCA had requested permission for the event, which he approved.

“Definitely, 11 people have died. The Congress government’s mistake is there, but there is no failure of the government,” he said, adding the police should have managed crowd control.

“I went to the event by 4:15 pm because the stampede had already taken place before that time. The police did not inform me at all,” he said, explaining why officers were later suspended.

Responding to BJP's charge that the Congress government is now facing 60% corruption allegations from the state contractors’ association, Siddaramaiah called it “a political statement made by the BJP.”

He reminded that the 40% corruption charge against the previous BJP government was originally made by the contractors’ association itself. “One Kempanna, who was the president of the association, had said this,” he noted, insisting no similar accusations had been levelled against the Congress government.

Affirming his political ambitions, Siddaramaiah said, “I will lead the Congress in the 2028 polls. In Karnataka, the people of the state are not against the government. There is no anti-incumbency. In 2028 also, we will come back.”