Siddaramaiah resigned as Karnataka Chief Minister, clearing the way for a change of guard with D K Shivakumar widely expected to take over.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday resigned from the top post, ending days of speculation over a change of guard in the state, but declined to name his successor, saying the Congress high command and the legislature party would take the final call.
Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to Prabhushankar, Special Secretary to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, as the Governor was away in Indore. He expressed confidence that the resignation would be accepted once the Governor returned to Lok Bhavan.
Addressing a press conference at his residence, an emotional Siddaramaiah confirmed that he had been asked by the party high command to step down.
“I was asked to step down by the high command, and I have decided to do the same,” he said, surrounded by Cabinet colleagues and legislators.
Asked about his successor, Siddaramaiah said the Congress Legislature Party and the high command would decide, though he gestured towards Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is widely expected to become the next Chief Minister.
The Congress Legislature Party is likely to meet on Saturday, followed by the swearing-in of the new Chief Minister and Cabinet the same day. Sources said the ceremony could also be held on Sunday, depending on the final schedule. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to be invited.
The high command is yet to decide whether a full-fledged Cabinet or a partial Cabinet will be sworn in. With the June 18 Rajya Sabha polls approaching, the party may keep some berths vacant to avoid dissidence among MLAs who may be denied ministerial posts.
Siddaramaiah thanked former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and party colleagues for giving him the opportunity to serve Karnataka twice as Chief Minister and also as Leader of Opposition.
Making it clear that he would not shift to national politics, Siddaramaiah said Rahul Gandhi had offered him a Rajya Sabha seat, but he declined it.
“I have no interest in national politics. I will continue to serve the people of Karnataka,” he said, adding that he would remain in active politics and continue his fight against communal forces.
Recalling Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar’s famous phrase for his fans, Siddaramaiah said, “I am a politician. The Constitution is my religion, and voters are my abhimani devaru.”
Calling himself an “accidental politician”, Siddaramaiah recalled his journey from a rural background to becoming a taluk panchayat member, minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Minister twice.
He said his governments had worked for social justice and equal opportunities, and cited the Bhagya schemes of his first tenure and the five guarantees of the present government as examples of that commitment.
Siddaramaiah also defended his government’s economic record, saying Karnataka remained among the top states in per capita income and was second in GST collections after Maharashtra. He said the state had not breached the limits under the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002.
The Congress leadership, including Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, had met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in Delhi on Tuesday. It was during that meeting that Siddaramaiah was asked to step down.
Earlier in the day, he informed his Cabinet colleagues and legislators of his decision at a breakfast meeting before submitting his resignation.