Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) acknowledged that it was because of then Chief Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s insistence that he took on the responsibility of the Finance portfolio in 1994.
“I was keen to handle the revenue portfolio. But senior leader R.L. Jalappa opted for it at a meeting to decide the portfolio allocation after Mr. Gowda became the Chief Minister. Hence Mr. Gowda persuaded me to take up finance portfolio, saying that he wanted someone trustworthy to handle it. Though I did not know anything about finances, I took up the portfolio as he insisted,” the Chief Minister told the Karnataka Legislative Assembly while intervening during a debate on the State Budget 2026-27 presented by him.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has presented 17 State Budgets so far, said this incident had resulted in him continuing with that portfolio subsequently.
Short of crossing the red line
Bouquet and brickbat
