Congress MLC says Siddaramaiah will remain CM for full five-year term
February 6, 2026: Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that there will be no leadership change in Karnataka and that his father, Siddaramaiah, will continue as chief minister for the full five-year term. He said the Congress high command has given a clear signal on the matter and has not acknowledged calls for a change. Dismissing speculation, Yathindra said the issue exists only in media discussions, while the government’s focus should remain on pressing matters such as the upcoming budget, revenue challenges and the Centre’s alleged failure to release Karnataka’s due share of funds.
The leadership debate within the ruling Congress had intensified after the government completed the halfway mark of its term in November 2025, amid reports of a power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023. Shivakumar had earlier said he was confident the high command would call him to New Delhi whenever a political decision was to be taken. However, Yathindra maintained that there is no confusion within the party and that Siddaramaiah will remain chief minister for the entire term.
Yathindra also welcomed the recent acceptance of a closure report in the MUDA site allotment case by a special court in Bengaluru, which gave a clean chit to Siddaramaiah, his wife B M Parvathi and others. He reiterated that the allegations were politically motivated and that the truth had prevailed. While noting that the case may still be challenged through an appeal, he said the acceptance of the ‘B’ report had vindicated the chief minister and his family.