Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has often been losing his cool these days. In the latest instance on Friday, he appeared perturbed when a reporter asked about a possible leadership change and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar taking his place.
When a mediaperson sought the Chief Minister’s reaction to reports claiming that the KPCC chief had set November 21 as the date to take oath as the next Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah shot back: “Has he (Mr. Shivakumar) told you?”
When he replied that he had read it in a newspaper, quick came the Chief Minister’s reply: “Which newspaper? I did not see it anywhere, though I read all the newspapers.”
The question was in the context of speculation about a possible leadership change, as the Congress government completes the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. In recent days, the Chief Minister has been visibly irritated with questions on the so-called “November Revolution” and possible transfer of power.
While Mr. Siddaramaiah has been claiming that he would be the Chief Minister for the full five-year term, his deputy Mr. Shivakumar has been bargaining hard with the party high command to adhere to the informal power-sharing pact apparently agreed upon when the government was formed in May, 2023.
On the other hand, Mr. Shivakumar is pinning his hopes on the party high command to get the Chief Minister’s post, appealing to his supporters to stay calm and relaxed.
On earlier occasions too, the Chief Minister lost his composure when reporters questioned him, for instance, when asked about his alleged role in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.
Again, on September 22, during the inauguration of the Dasara festival in Mysuru, the Chief Minister was angry when a restless audience was found leaving the function. He scolded persons leaving the function midway and ordered the police to intervene.
Published – November 02, 2025 12:32 am IST
