Siddaramaiah Becomes Karnataka’s Longest-Serving Chief Minister, Surpasses Devraj Urs

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has made history by becoming the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister, surpassing the record set by D. Devaraj Urs. The landmark achievement was celebrated by senior leaders, including Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who congratulated Siddaramaiah, calling it a moment of pride and stating that his name will be etched in history.

Siddaramaiah completed seven years and 240 days in office on Wednesday, overtaking Urs, who had served as Karnataka’s Chief Minister for seven years and 239 days. Speaking about the milestone, Siddaramaiah credited the people for their continued support. He highlighted a key difference between himself and Urs, noting that while Urs belonged to the ruling class, he hails from a socially backward community (Kuruba).

Reflecting on His Political Journey
Siddaramaiah, a native of Mysuru like Urs, recalled that he had never imagined reaching this milestone. “I never thought I would become Chief Minister, or even a minister. Initially, I aimed only to become a Taluk Board member and then a legislator,” he said. Over his political career, Siddaramaiah has contested 13 elections, winning eight, losing two parliamentary elections and two assembly elections.

On Breaking Records
When asked about comparisons with Devaraj Urs, Siddaramaiah emphasized that their circumstances were different. “Urs was not from a backward community; he belonged to a smaller but influential section of society and directly raised funds from people to contest elections. Times have changed since 1962,” he said. Siddaramaiah added, “Records exist to be broken,” drawing an analogy to cricket, where Virat Kohli broke Sachin Tendulkar’s records.

This historic achievement cements Siddaramaiah’s legacy as one of Karnataka’s most enduring and influential leaders, reflecting both his personal resilience and the support of the people.