As DK Shivakumar takes Karnataka reins, why Siddaramaiah's CM tenure is a record

Key points

• This January, Siddaramaiah had achieved a rare milestone by becoming Karnataka’s longest-serving chief minister—a cumulative seven years and eight months in office.
• In doing so, he surpassed his role model Devaraj Urs, a champion of the backward classes.
• Tied to that metric is also an enduring paradox of Karnataka’s politics—the rather short tenures of most leaders who have helmed the state and the tumultuous events that led to these outcomes.
• Barring Urs and Siddaramaiah, only one other chief minister, S.M.
• Krishna, has so far been able to serve out a five-year term between two assembly elections.