Siddaramaiah quits to make way for DK Shivkumar as Karnataka’s new CM
Signaling an imminent end to power-struggle in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister, simultaneously announcing that DK Shivkumar will be his successor
Bengaluru: Signaling an imminent end to power-struggle in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister, simultaneously announcing that DK Shivkumar will be his successor.
The talks of seat switchover in Karnataka took momentum two days ago when the Congress High Command invited Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar to New Delhi.
After the hectic consultations both the leaders had with Congress President Mallikarjun Khadge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal and other party leaders, Siddaramaiah called a meeting of party MLAs at his residence today morning.
Talking with the party MLAs he said the party high command has asked him to resign.
“The high command directed me two days ago to step down, and accordingly I submitted my resignation today”, he said adding DK Shivkumar, who is currently serving as his Deputy, will succeed him as the state’s new Chief Minister.
“I got the opportunity to serve the people of Karnataka twice, for which I thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge," he added.
Soon later he, accompanied by DK Shivkumar and other party leaders, went to Governor’s House and submitted his resignation.
Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot is out of the state. But, his office confirmed receiving Siddaramaiah’s resignation.
Siddaramaiah became chief minister of Karnataka on May 20, 2023 with DK Shivkumar as his Deputy.
Siddaramaiah comes from the OBC community and is regarded as a mass leader. He played a key role in the Congress’s return to power in Karnataka. But, it is said that DK Shivkumar was the real architect of the Congress’s comeback in 2023.
Accordingly, he staked his claim to be the new Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah however did not budge. Consequently a formula was charted out as per which Siddaramaiah was nominated as CM for the first 2.5 years, with the suggestion that DKS will ascend to the top post after that.
Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over the swearing-in ceremony of DK Shivkumar because of the absence of Governor Gehlot. Gehlot reportedly left the state to call on “his ailing close relative”. The Governor’s House is maintaining a guarded silence about his return to the state.
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