This marks the second time in a week that the chief minister has asserted during the Assembly session that he will remain in office until directed otherwise by the party leadership.
Published Dec 19, 2025 | 2:50 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 19, 2025 | 2:50 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Synopsis: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed claims of a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing arrangement, rejecting the suggestion on the floor of the House. When Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka questioned the alleged agreement to rotate the chief minister’s post after two-and-a-half years, Siddaramaiah reiterated that no such deal existed.
On the final day of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly’s Belagavi session on Friday, 19 December, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed claims of a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing arrangement, rejecting the suggestion on the floor of the House.
“I am the Chief Minister now, and I will continue until the high command decides otherwise,” he said, adding that he believes the Congress high command is in his favour. When Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka questioned the alleged agreement to rotate the chief minister’s post after two-and-a-half years, Siddaramaiah reiterated that no such deal existed.
This marks the second time in a week that the chief minister has asserted during the Assembly session that he will remain in office until directed otherwise by the party leadership. However, it is the first occasion on which he has publicly addressed and dismissed the purported power-sharing arrangement.
The buzz around the leadership in Karnataka has refused to die down even during the ongoing Assembly session. Apart from the exchange of barbs between the ruling party and the Opposition on the floor of the House, dinner meetings between legislators have also continued, which have further fuelled speculation.
On 18 December, Siddaramaiah, along with a group of Ministers and legislators, attended a dinner hosted by senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who is considered his close aide, in Belagavi. Ministers G Parameshwara, HC Mahadevappa, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, MC Sudhakar, and legislators AS Ponnanna and Naseer Ahmed were some of the attendees.
When questioned about this meeting, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told reporters on Friday, “Can anyone say no to a dinner meeting? There is nothing wrong with dinner meetings, we have all come from outside.”
When pointed out that there were only four to five MLAs in the dinner meeting, he said, “Why are you asking this question to me? I have nothing to do with it.”
Meanwhile, on 16 December, Siddaramaiah reaffirmed that the Congress would come to power again in 2028, while the BJP would always remain in the Opposition position.
“There is a proverb that says, ‘Don’t throw salt on injury.’ The Opposition exists to throw salt. No matter what the Opposition incites, none of our MLAs will be provoked. People have blessed me to be the chief minister for five years. 140 MLAs are with us,” he said.
He also reiterated that the high command’s word is final in the party. “This is not my government, it is our government. I am still the chief minister. I will be the chief minister until the high command says so,” Siddaramaiah said.
He further charged that there was no consensus on the choice of the BJP president. “The BJP is jealous. We will give a stable government for five years, and in 2028, the Congress government will come to power again,” he stated.
Before the commencement of the session, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar held two rounds of breakfast meetings in a bid to showcase unity. “Shivakumar and I are united, and there are no differences,” Siddaramaiah had said while speaking to the media post the meeting.
At the time, when asked if the alleged power-sharing agreement exists, the chief minister said, “Whatever the decision high command makes, both of us will abide by it.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
