Who Is Siddaramaiah? Mass Leader And Nine-Time MLA Set To Become Karnataka CM For Second Time

Siddaramaiahn joined Congress in 2006 after his ouster from JD(S) of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda.

A mass leader, Siddaramaiah will become the chief minister of Karnataka for the second time as he edges out Shivakumar for the top post. According to ANI, Siddaramaiah will be the next chief minister of Karnataka and DK Shivakumar will be the Deputy Chief Minister. The oath ceremony will be held in Bengaluru on 20th May. This comes days after Congress won the assembly polls in the southern state by claiming 135 seats but the suspense continued over the CM. Both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar were the top contenders for the post.

Siddaramaiahn joined Congress in 2006 after his ouster from JD(S) of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda.

Who Is Siddaramaiah?

Siddaramaiah, currently 75 years old, became a member of the Indian National Congress in 2006, following his dismissal from the JD(S) party led by former Prime Minister Deve Gowda.

He was born on August 12, 1948. Siddaramaiah made his first appearance in the Assembly in 1983 when he was elected as a member representing Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal Party ticket. He has been victorious in this constituency on five occasions and faced defeat thrice.

The ex-Chief Minister of Karnataka experienced a loss in the Assembly elections of both 1989 and 1999. In 2008, he held the position of Chairman for the KPCC Publicity Committee for Elections.

Siddaramaiah's academic background includes obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Science from Mysore University. He pursued a degree and subsequently went on to study Law.

Siddaramaiah is widely admired throughout the region and enjoys widespread support from a significant number of members within the Congress party.

He was appointed as the head of the party in the state of Karnataka, successfully led it to win 122 seats in the 2013 Legislative Assembly election, and subsequently assumed the position of Chief Minister. Even though his party joined forces with the JD(S) in the subsequent elections to prevent the BJP from gaining power, the BJP eventually managed to win over the support of MLAs from the Congress. The State Assembly saw the appointment of Siddaramiah as their Leader of Opposition.

As Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018, he has the experience of successfully leading a government for a full term. As an experienced administrator with a track record of presenting 13 budgets, he holds significant influence within the AHINDA community (representing minorities, disadvantaged groups, and Dalits).

Despite enjoying widespread support across various constituencies in Karnataka, the MLA with eight terms under his belt is currently facing difficulty in securing a seat that is free from conflicts between different groups. The rivalry between Kurubas and communities like Vokkaligas, tribal Valmikis, and Dalits has been presenting a hurdle in his path to success. In 2018, he surrendered his position in Varuna to his younger son, Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, and decided to contest from a secured seat in the same constituency instead. In 2023, he managed to secure a majority of 60% of the total votes.

With remarkable skills, he can confront BJP and JD(S), especially Prime Minister Modi and his administration on various concerns. He is believed to have a close relationship with Rahul Gandhi and has evidently received his support.

Karnataka Election Results

The Karnataka Assembly elections result declared on May 13th showed that the Congress made a remarkable comeback, winning 136 seats and securing a vote share of 43%.

Earlier on Sunday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) had given complete authority to M Mallikarjun Kharge, the AICC President, to select the leader who will hold the position of chief minister in the state. The decision was taken unanimously.