Only these CMs have completed a full-term in Karnataka

K'taka knows better than to get too attached to any CM since there have only been 3 such CMs who have been able to complete a five-year-term in the CMO

Karnataka Assembly elections are around the corner and the suspense is building not only around the party that will get to hold the reins of the state but also the next CM of Karnataka.

Karnataka is known for its intense political battles and uncertain victories given the high number of defections that take place around the election time, changing the course of state politics. The state knows better than to get too attached to any CM at any given time because there have only been three such chief ministers in the course of Karnataka history who have been able to complete a five-year-term in the CMO.

S Nijalingappa

Served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for two terms, first between 1956 and 1958 and other from 1962 to 1968(full term). The late Indian National Congress leader, Siddavanahalli Nijalingappa was born in 1902 in the Bellary district. Nijalingappa has been called the 'maker of modern Karnataka'.

Nijalingappa’s political career began when he was made the President of the Chitradurga District Congress Committee in 1936. Even before that, he is believed to have been keenly interested in participating in India’s reedom struggle and would attend Congress sessions. The Congress leader who had earned his law degree in the year 1926, lost his bar licence for participating in the Forest Satyagraha of 1939 in the then Mysore. He was also the last president of the undivided Congress. When the Congress Party split into two factions owing to intra-party feud, Nijalingappa continued to head the Congress (O) faction that later merged with Janata Party in 1977.

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D Devaraj Urs

Also from Congress, D Devaraj Urs served two terms in Karnataka, first between March 1972 and December 1977(his full term) and second from 1978 to 1980. At the time of the intra-party conflict, he sided with Indira Gandhi.

In 1969, when the Syndicate in the Congress headed by Nijalingappa decided to push its agenda and the ‘Goongi Gudia’ aka Indira Gandhi revolted, the first one to back her was Urs because her slogan was 'Garibi Hatao'.

First CM in the country to implement the ‘Land Reformation Act’, the late Congress leader was also concerned about wildlife, nature, forests and tree protection. He implemented the guidelines of Project Tiger and abolished the "Pre-Paid licence" scheme which allowed people to go into the forests by paying Rs 2 or Rs 3 for a pass.

Siddaramaiah

One of the tallest leaders of the Indian National Congress, Siddaramaiah led the Congress party to victory with a clear majority of 122/224 seats in the 2013 Legislative Assembly election. With the successful completion of his term, Siddaramaiah became the first Karnataka CM to complete a full term in 40 years. Fondly known as Siddu, Siddaramaiah was born in Varuna, the constituency he is currently contesting from where he will face BJP’s V Somanna. 75-year-old Siddaramaiah recently announced that this would be his last election and he would not contest polls anymore, a statement that was enough for the BJP to take a jibe at him. "A Congress leader is seeking votes in the name of their retirement. His biggest poll plank is: 'This is my last election. Give me a chance. What a pathetic state they have reached!" PM Modi said in an election rally in the district headquarters town of Vijayapura. "I know that the people of Karnataka will not choose a tired and defeated Congress but the BJP which is bubbling with enthusiasm," Modi added.

Incidentally, all the three CMs that managed to stay put in the office of the chief minister for a complete term belong to the Congress. It is now for us to see if Karnataka will grant a full term to yet another Congress leader or will BJP or JD(S) make a dent in the grand old party’s record. That is, only if a CM is able to complete their term in the state.

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