Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 28: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has formally initiated a leadership transition in the state by announcing his resignation to his cabinet colleagues. During a breakfast meeting at his official residence on Thursday, he confirmed that he is stepping down following explicit instructions from the Congress high command.
Addressing the gathering, Siddaramaiah stated that his resignation aligns with the high command's directives and that the party leadership will independently choose his successor. He assured his complete cooperation to the next leader, stating that whoever is picked will have his full support. The meeting was notably attended by deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, widely considered the frontrunner for the top post, alongside other ministers.
End of intense speculation
This announcement concludes days of heightened political speculation regarding an internal power-sharing pact that reportedly requires Siddaramaiah to vacate the seat for Shivakumar. The momentum for a leadership change accelerated following reports that the Congress high command had officially requested Siddaramaiah to step down.
While the outgoing chief minister was expected to formally submit his resignation to governor Thaawarchand Gehlot later on Thursday, sources at the Raj Bhavan indicated that the governor is currently unavailable in Bengaluru due to a personal visit to Indore.
Crucial meetings in Delhi
The catalyst for Thursday's announcement stems from high-level discussions held in New Delhi earlier this week. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to the national capital for consecutive meetings involving leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary K C Venugopal, and AICC Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Sources suggest that Siddaramaiah agreed to resign primarily because the directive came directly from Rahul Gandhi, keeping true to his past assertions that he would step down if Gandhi personally requested it.
Despite the escalating developments, Surjewala had urged the media on Wednesday to avoid speculation, clarifying that no official Legislature Party meeting had been convened and no formal decision announced. Reports indicate the high command offered Siddaramaiah a central party role and a Rajya Sabha seat to facilitate the transition, though the 77-year-old AHINDA leader has not yet signaled his acceptance.
The rotational power-sharing formula
The leadership rivalry between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has been prominent since the Congress secured its sweeping victory in the May 2023 assembly elections. After intense negotiations, the high command persuaded Shivakumar to assume the role of deputy chief minister under Siddaramaiah.
Although never officially acknowledged by the party, it was widely believed that a rotational formula was established, stipulating a transfer of power to Shivakumar after two and a half years—a milestone the state government officially crossed in November 2025.