'It was by mistake that I entered politics': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah resigns from post, DK Shivakumar to take over

NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah resigned from his post on Thursday after months of speculation, paving the way for his deputy DK Shivakumar for the top post.

Prabhu Shankar, special secretary to governor, said, "I have received the resignation of Siddaramaiah (as the CM), but only the Governor can accept it after he returns." Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot left for his residence in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, earlier today.

In a press conference after tendering his resignation, Siddaramaiah said that Congress high command asked him to resign during meetings in Delhi.



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"I have said and maintained that if the high command asks me to resign I shall resign. Accordingly day before yesterday high command asked me to resign, I said I will resign in 48 hours. As a result I have resigned," Siddaramaiah said.

"Governor will look into my resignation letter after coming back from his tour and I am confident that he will accept it as it is a constitutional action. The procedure is left to him but once a CM gives his resignation letter then it has to be approved to make way for the new CM," he added.

He also thanked Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving him the opportunity to become the longest serving chief minister of Karnataka.

"I became two time CM and two time opposition leader. For giving me this opportunity I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and AIcC president Mallikarjuna Kharge," Siddaramaiah said.

"Since 2006 the congress workers, leaders, legislators and MPs have showered me with love and opportunity. I would like to thank all of them. When I was a two time CM from 2013-2018 and from 2023 till date, I would take the opportunity to say that my cabinet colleagues had given all possible cooperation and love. I shall be forever indebted to them. I was a villager and never imagined that I would become a MLA, leader, opposition leader and a CM. I came to CM accidentally and never had anyone from my family in politics. From the beginning, when I entered politics, I believed in Buddha, Basavanna, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Gandhiji’s teachings. I always believed that the entire society should live like a family, with social and economic equality," he added.

Also Read | From deputy to CM: Congress troubleshooter DK Shivkumar finally gets Karnataka top post after Siddaramiah exit

The development comes hours after Siddaramaiah reportedly informed his cabinet colleagues of his decision to step down during a breakfast hosted at his house.

The party had put no stone unturned during the months-long tussle for the CM chair to avert the crisis by ensuring amicable transition of power, which was evident from the photos shared by the Karnataka Congress.

In a post shared by the party's state unit after the breakfast meet, Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar bonhomie photos were shared with the message: "Unity is our strength!"

In a series of photos, CM hopeful Shivakumar was seen touching the feet of Siddaramaiah and taking his blessings.

The development comes after Congress high command, in a series of meetings in New Delhi, had reportedly asked Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership change in the state and offered him a national role in the party with a Rajya Sabha seat. As per reports, Siddaramaiah had not immediately accepted the central role.

Some sources indicate Siddaramaiah may have decided to step down because the message came directly from the top party leader, Rahul Gandhi. The CM had repeatedly stated that he would step down if the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha asked him to do so.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to Delhi on Tuesday by the party, where there were back-to-back meetings at the Congress headquarters involving Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Surjewala.