Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Friday, May 29, accepted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers headed by him, bringing the high-voltage leadership transition in the state to its final stage and paving the way for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to take charge.
A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Karnataka is likely to be held on Saturday, May 30, to formally elect the new chief minister, party sources told news agency PTI.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on me under Article 164(1) of the Constitution of India, I, Thaawarchand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka, have accepted the resignation of Shri Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka and dissolved the Council of Ministers headed by him with immediate effect,” the Governor said in a notification. Siddaramaiah will continue in the role until alternative arrangements are made, Gehlot added.
On Thursday, May 28, Siddaramaiah hosted a breakfast meeting for Cabinet colleagues and senior Congress leaders in Bengaluru, where he announced his decision to step down. He subsequently visited Lok Bhavan and formally submitted his resignation letter to the Governor’s Special Secretary, Prabhushankar.
Siddaramaiah meets Rahul, Kharge in Delhi
A day after resigning, Siddaramaiah met Rahul Gandhi at Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence in New Delhi on Friday morning, accompanied by his son Yathindra.
Siddaramaiah thanked Gandhi for giving him the opportunity to serve the state and confirmed that he had stepped down as directed, PTI sources said. He is also learnt to have sought berths for his son and loyalists in the new Karnataka Cabinet, including the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Siddaramaiah later met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss new government formation and his future role in the party.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who was present during Siddaramaiah’s hour-long meeting with Gandhi, said it was a “very pleasant meeting” in which multiple issues were discussed. Asked whether the transition would be smooth, he said, “Absolutely. There is no hurdle in the smooth transition of power in the state.”
Siddaramaiah has declined the Rajya Sabha seat offered to him by the high command and has made clear he wants to remain in Karnataka and is not keen on a central role.
High command call
The development follows the Congress high command directing Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership transition. Sources told Siasat.com said the final nudge came directly from Gandhi. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had been summoned to Delhi on May 26, where back-to-back meetings were held at Congress headquarters involving Gandhi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Kharge, and party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Surjewala.
Congress leaders have been engaged in continuous discussions to ensure a smooth transfer of power without triggering internal differences. Political observers say the transition is being closely monitored by the high command, which is keen to project unity and stability ahead of future electoral battles.
A two-time chief minister, Siddaramaiah joined the Congress in 2006 after switching sides from the Janata Dal (Secular).
Shivakumar pays tribute
Expressing “gratitude and deep respect” for his outgoing chief, Shivakumar said it had been a privilege to serve alongside Siddaramaiah as Deputy Chief Minister.
“God does not give boons or curses. He only gives opportunities. What truly matters is what we make of those opportunities. Siddaramaiah’s life is one of the finest reflections of this thought,” Shivakumar said.
In a post on X, he added, “As the saying goes — if you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together — I look forward to carrying this journey forward together for the people of Karnataka.”
Shivakumar recalled that Siddaramaiah had stood beside him “like a pillar of strength” since 2020, when he took charge as KPCC president. Shivakumar will separately hold discussions on government formation with Venugopal.
KPCC chief next on the agenda
With Shivakumar’s elevation now a formality, the Congress high command has begun zeroing in on a successor for the KPCC president’s post, which Shivakumar is expected to vacate upon formally taking charge.
Party sources told Siasat.com that senior Congress leader and minister Satish Jarkiholi has been all but finalised for the organisational role, with both Venugopal and Surjewala said to have already held discussions with him. However, Jarkiholi has reportedly conveyed to the leadership that he would prefer to retain his ministerial berth alongside the party post.
The high command is expected to take a final call on whether he will be permitted to hold both positions simultaneously.
The move is seen as part of the party’s broader effort to maintain caste and regional balance while ensuring organisational stability during the changeover.
