A file photo of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday (January 25, 2026) scoffed at the possibility of the Janata Dal (Secular) coming to power in Karnataka.
Responding to remarks by JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda — who had spoken of settling political scores “when their time comes” against alleged attempts to undermine party leader H.D. Revanna — Mr. Siddaramaiah said action against the JD(S) leader had been taken strictly in accordance with the law.
While stating that JD(S) was free to take action as per law if it ever returned to power, Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned how the party could realistically secure power. He pointed out that JD(S) had won only 17 seats in the last Assembly elections, while the Congress had secured 136 seats — a number that has since risen to 140.
Recalling his own stint in JD(S), he said the party had won 59 seats in the 2004 Assembly elections, but its strength had now fallen sharply to 17.
Mr. Siddaramaiah also rejected JD(S) leaders’ claims that the regional party, along with its ally the BJP, would wipe out the Congress in the next elections, calling it mere “political rhetoric.”
He further questioned why the BJP would allow JD(S) to claim the Chief Minister’s post if the saffron party were to win more seats than its ally.
Published – January 25, 2026 06:12 pm IST
