Bengaluru, Jan 6: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has equalled the record of former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs as the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, completing a cumulative tenure of 2,792 days in office.
The milestone has been achieved across two terms — Siddaramaiah’s full first term from 2013 to 2018 and his current term that began on May 20, 2023. Urs, also a former Mysuru-region leader, had served the same number of days during his two stints in office.
Siddaramaiah is set to surpass Urs’ record on January 7, 2026, when he will become the sole longest-serving Chief Minister in Karnataka’s history.
Reacting to the development, Siddaramaiah said the achievement was purely coincidental and not driven by any personal ambition. “It happened purely by coincidence. I didn’t even know how many years or days Devaraj Urs had served,” he said, adding that his continuation in office depended entirely on the Congress High Command.
Expressing confidence about completing his current term, the Chief Minister, however, underlined that the final decision rests with the party leadership. “Whether I will complete a full term depends on the high command,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said serving the people of Karnataka gives him satisfaction and reiterated his commitment to social justice. “There is inequality in society. Until that inequality is removed and justice is ensured for everyone, I will continue to fight,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar congratulated Siddaramaiah on the milestone, describing it as a proud moment. “This is a happy moment. I wish him well. He has been in the history books in the past, and he will be there in the future too,” Shivakumar told reporters.
Apart from his tenure record, Siddaramaiah also holds the distinction of presenting the highest number of state budgets in Karnataka — 16 so far — and is scheduled to present his 17th budget in March 2026.
The milestone comes at a time when the ruling Congress is witnessing internal discussions over leadership and power-sharing arrangements in the state.
