Siddaramaiah Steps Down as Karnataka Chief Minister, Clearing Way for D K Shivakumar to Take Charge
Following instructions from the Congress high command, the veteran leader resigns amid a long running leadership transition in Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially resigned from his post on Thursday, bringing an end to months of political speculation and internal discussions within the ruling Congress party. His resignation is expected to pave the way for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to assume the state’s top post.
Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation letter at the Governor’s office in Bengaluru during the afternoon. Since Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was away on an official visit, the resignation letter was received by the Governor’s Special Secretary, Prabhu Shankar.
In a show of unity within the party, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara accompanied Siddaramaiah to the Governor’s office during the formal process.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah hosted a breakfast meeting for cabinet colleagues at his official residence, where he informed them about his decision to step down. According to party sources, he also indicated that the move followed directions given by the Congress high command during recent meetings held in New Delhi.
Emotional scenes were witnessed during the gathering as D K Shivakumar was seen seeking Siddaramaiah’s blessings. The Congress leadership later shared images from the meeting while emphasizing party unity during the transition phase.
Speaking to reporters after resigning, Siddaramaiah reflected on his long political journey and said that he had entered politics unexpectedly. He stated that as someone from a rural background, he never imagined becoming a legislator, Opposition leader, or Chief Minister of Karnataka.
The outgoing Chief Minister expressed gratitude to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, party workers, and his cabinet colleagues for their support throughout his political career. He also thanked the people of Karnataka for giving him the opportunity to serve the state twice as Chief Minister.
The leadership change is widely seen as the implementation of the power sharing understanding believed to have been reached within the Congress after the party’s victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders are expected to hold further discussions regarding cabinet restructuring and the formal swearing in ceremony of the next Chief Minister in the coming days.