Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that caretaker Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to stay active in state politics would function as a “hanging sword” over Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, while asserting that the BJP was fully prepared to return to power whenever the next state election is held. Bommai made the remarks at a press conference in Haveri, Karnataka.

Bommai on Siddaramaiah’s Political Legacy

Bommai acknowledged Siddaramaiah’s over four-decade political journey, noting a personal association that predates their ideological divergence. “Siddaramaiah entered politics in 1983. He was very close to my father and had served as a Minister of State in my father’s Cabinet before later becoming a Cabinet Minister,” Bommai said. He also recalled being the only leader from outside the AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) social bloc to deliver a major speech in support of Siddaramaiah’s movement.

Bommai further recounted extending support to Siddaramaiah during the 2007 by-election, after Siddaramaiah quit the Janata Dal (Secular) and joined the Indian National Congress. “Whenever Siddaramaiah faced difficult times, I supported him. But after he joined the Congress, our political ideologies diverged and we never politically aligned. Personally, however, we continue to share a good relationship,” he said.

Congress Accused of Insulting OBC Leadership

Bommai described Siddaramaiah as a socialist leader with genuine concern for backward communities, and alleged that the Congress had insulted OBC leadership by replacing him as Chief Minister. “Congress has historically wronged backward classes, from the Mandal Commission days till now. Rahul Gandhi talks about caste census and OBC welfare, but the same party has removed an OBC Chief Minister. What commitment do they really have towards OBCs?” he asked.

He warned that the move had disappointed OBC communities across Karnataka and that the political consequences would be significant. “Siddaramaiah may remain silent, but the people who understand his emotions will not stay quiet. There will definitely be political repercussions,” Bommai said. He added that hopes among Dalits of securing the Chief Minister’s post had also been “shattered,” and cautioned that even minorities should not take Congress support for granted.

The ‘Hanging Sword’ Remark and Government Stability

On the stability of the Congress government, Bommai acknowledged that it currently holds a clear majority in the state assembly, but said its future trajectory would depend on how Siddaramaiah’s supporters are accommodated in the Cabinet and party organisation. “Even if elections are held tomorrow, the BJP is ready. Siddaramaiah saying he will remain in Karnataka politics is like a hanging sword. A hanging sword is more likely to fall,” he remarked. This comes amid visible undercurrents within the ruling Congress over the leadership transition from Siddaramaiah to Shivakumar.

Debt Burden and Financial Management Allegations

Bommai launched a sharp attack on the Congress government’s fiscal record, alleging that Karnataka had accumulated nearly ₹4 lakh crore in debt over the last three years without creating productive assets. “They have borrowed heavily only to fund guarantee schemes. No assets have been created and no long-term revenue generation is happening,” he alleged. The Congress government has not yet formally responded to these specific figures.

Karnataka’s ‘Seven-Year Syndrome’

Bommai invoked what he called Karnataka’s “seven-year syndrome” — a pattern, he argued, in which Chief Ministers who complete roughly seven years in power eventually lose office. He cited the examples of former CMs Nijalingappa, Devaraj Urs, and Ramakrishna Hegde, drawing a parallel with Siddaramaiah’s current situation. He also noted that mass leaders within Congress — including Devaraj Urs, Veerendra Patil, and Bangarappa — were historically sidelined by the Congress high command, suggesting the pattern was repeating itself. The BJP, Bommai said, would consolidate its position through social engineering and community outreach in the run-up to the next election.