Bangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that he will step down from the post, potentially ending a prolonged leadership dispute within the Congress and clearing the path for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to take over the reins of the state government.
The announcement came during a breakfast meeting hosted by Siddaramaiah at his Bengaluru residence for cabinet colleagues amid heightened political activity and intense speculation over a leadership change.
According to media reports, Siddaramaiah’s decision followed nearly two days of consultations in New Delhi involving senior Congress leaders and the party high command. Reports suggested the outgoing chief minister was offered a political rehabilitation package, including a Rajya Sabha berth and a cabinet position for his son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, to facilitate a smooth transition.
The development marks a major shift in Karnataka politics after months of uncertainty over the Congress government’s leadership arrangement.
While Congress leaders publicly dismissed reports of infighting in recent weeks, senior party figures including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala are expected in Bengaluru to oversee the transition process. A Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting is likely to be held on Friday, where Siddaramaiah’s successor could formally be chosen.
However, uncertainty briefly persisted on Thursday as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was away in Indore for personal reasons. Officials at Raj Bhavan reportedly said Siddaramaiah had not formally sought time to meet the Governor to submit his resignation, even as speculation intensified over the timing of the transition.
The leadership tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar has remained one of Karnataka Congress’s most closely watched political fault lines since the party returned to power in 2023.
At the heart of the disagreement was a reported power-sharing arrangement under which Siddaramaiah would serve as chief minister for the first two-and-a-half years, after which Shivakumar — widely credited for rebuilding the Congress organisation in Karnataka — would take over for the remainder of the term.
Although the Congress never officially acknowledged such an agreement, Shivakumar’s supporters repeatedly claimed a leadership transition had been promised.
The issue resurfaced multiple times over the past year, including in December 2025 when the Congress leadership reportedly intervened to contain tensions through symbolic meetings between the two leaders.
Speculation gathered pace again after Shivakumar’s supporters recently displayed “Next CM” posters during his birthday celebrations, reviving buzz over an imminent change in leadership.
Siddaramaiah, who earlier this year became Karnataka’s longest-serving chief minister, had continued to enjoy support from a majority of legislators, delaying any immediate transition. However, following the completion of assembly elections in neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu earlier this month, Congress leadership appears to have moved decisively to settle the issue.
A week ago, when asked about speculation over leadership change, Shivakumar had offered a cryptic response, saying, “Good time will come.” That moment now appears closer than ever.
