India, July 10 -- Rejecting chatters of a possible change of leadership in the state, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said there was "no vacancy" for the CM's post as he was very much in the chair.

Siddaramaiah asserted that he will complete his five-year tenure as chief minister and brushed aside talks of him paving the way for his deputy DK Shivakumar to take over later this year.

"Is there any vacancy for chief ministership? I am very much here before you. I am the chief minister of Karnataka. That is what D K Shivakumar has said, and I am also saying it... There is no vacancy," PTI news agency quoted Siddaramaiah as saying, when reporters asked about any change of leadership in Karnataka.

There has been long been ...