Siddaramaiah confident on completing term, equals Devaraj Urs record as longest serving CM
Mysuru (PTI): Siddaramaiah, who on Tuesday equalled Devaraj Urs' record as the longest-serving chief minister of Karnataka, while expressing confidence about him completing the full five-year term, maintained that the Congress high command will have to decide on it.
He also said that he will discuss with the high command regarding the much-awaited cabinet rejig when they call him for discussion.
In his second term as chief minister, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, January 6, equalled Devaraj Urs' record as the longest serving Chief Minister of Karnataka for 2,792 days, and will surpass it on January 7.
This unique record has come even as the power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation was fueled by the "power-sharing" pact between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.
"I have not done politics to break any record; It's only a coincidence. I did not know how many years and days Devaraj Urs served as CM. Today because of the blessings of the people, I have got an opportunity to equal Devaraj Urs's record. Tomorrow it will be broken," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
ALSO READ: Mysuru court receives bomb threat, halts proceedings
Asked if he will create another record by completing the full five-year term, he said, it has to be decided by the Congress high command. "I don't know when the high command will decide."
To a question whether he has confidence about completing the full term and that the high command will decide in his favour, he said, "I have confidence. If I had no confidence, how would I have been the Chief Minister?... It all depends upon the high command's decision."
Regarding his meeting with AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said the Congress leader was on his way to Bengaluru from Wayanad via Mysuru, before heading for Delhi. "As he was in Mysuru and I too was here, we met."
Ruling out any discussion on cabinet reshuffle during the meeting, in response to a question as to when it can be expected, he said, "Let's see, let them (high command) call me (for discussion), I will discuss."
Urs, who is considered an icon of social justice and land reforms in the state, was a two-term chief minister -- for 2,113 days from March 20, 1972 to December 31, 1977, and for 679 days in his second term from February 28, 1978, to January 7, 1980.
Siddaramaiah, who is also the only CM after Urs to complete five years, was in the office for 1,829 days in his first term from May 13, 2013, to May 15, 2018. In his second term so far, since May 20, 2023, he has completed 963 days. Noting that he had never thought of any records, the CM said, the maximum he had thought of was becoming an MLA once.
"I became MLA, I got opportunities, I became minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition, and became the Chief Minister too. I got opportunities, and I have performed the duties," he said.
"Both Devaraj Urs and I are from Mysuru, but we were from different periods. He (Urs) was there from 1972 to 1980. I have been CM for two terms from 2013-18 and from 2023 to till now. Further, whatever the high command decides," he added.
ALSO READ: ₹71.41 lakh ATM fraud: Bank of Baroda assistant manager booked in Karnataka’s Bantwal
Stating that his political journey has been so long has given him "satisfaction", the chief minister said, serving people is something that gives happiness to him. "Politics means doing justice for the poor, Dalits, backward, and doing their work," he said.
Asserting that he has grown politically with the blessings of the people, Siddaramaiah said, there is still inequality in society, and until the inequality goes and everyone gets social justice, his fight will continue, and he will continue to serve the people.
Siddaramaiah's fans celebrated their leader's accomplishment by organising feasts at several places, with dishes made out of his favourite "nati koli" (country chicken).
Reacting to this and to a question that he has become a brand ambassador of sorts for 'nati koli' dishes, Siddaramaiah said, he doesn't know about it, and who was organising feasts.
"I'm from a village and normally in our village nati koli dishes would be prepared when relatives come home, so I used to eat nati koli and ragi mudde (finger millet balls) earlier, now it is a bit less. Many people from villages like it as I did, but as I'm the chief minister, it is getting a bit of publicity," he added.
ಮಾಜಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ದೇವರಾಜ್ ಅರಸು ಅವರ ದಾಖಲೆಯನ್ನು ಮುರಿಯಲೆಂದು ನಾನು ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಮಾಡಿಲ್ಲ. ಈ ದಾಖಲೆ ಕಾಕತಾಳೀಯವಾಗಿ ಆಗಿದೆ. ಜನರ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದದಿಂದ ದೇವರಾಜ ಅರಸು ಅವರ ದಾಖಲೆಯನ್ನು ಮುರಿಯಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗಿದೆ. ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯಾಗಿ ಈ ಅವಧಿಯನ್ನು ಪೂರ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸುವ ವಿಶ್ವಾಸವಿದೆ. ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪಕ್ಷದ ವರಿಷ್ಠರು ತೀರ್ಮಾನ ಮಾಡಬೇಕಷ್ಟೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 6, 2026
ನನ್ನ… pic.twitter.com/qcT5L9OdNL
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
