Karnataka CM resignation: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has told his Cabinet colleagues that he will step down from the post. The announcement was made at a breakfast meeting on Thursday. His deputy DK Shivakumar was also present at the meeting. The Deputy CM is being seen as a possible successor to Siddaramaiah.
is likely to formally tender his resignation at 3 PM.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that though Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is out of the state on personal business, he would hand in his resignation. A Congress Legislative Party meeting would soon be held to elect the leader of the Karnataka Assembly.
Photographs released by the Chief Minister’s Office showed Siddaramaiah embracing an Shivakumar. Another image showed Shivakumar touching the Chief Minister’s feet and seeking his blessings.
Sources in the CMO said Siddaramaiah had sought an appointment with the Governor after indications from the Congress leadership that a change in leadership was expected in the state. However, sources at Lok Bhavan said no request for a meeting had yet been made to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who has travelled to his hometown Indore for personal reasons.
On Wednesday, Congress leader and AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, stated that the party had not convened a Congress Legislature Party meeting and that no formal decision had been taken so far. He also urged the media to avoid speculation.
The Congress Legislature Party elects its leader, who is then considered the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post.
Surjewala, who reached on Wednesday, also held meetings with Siddaramaiah and other senior party leaders.
The latest developments come amid reports that the Congress high command has asked Siddaramaiah to step aside and offered him a role at the national level along with a seat. Reports also suggest that Siddaramaiah has not yet agreed to the proposal.
Some party insiders believe Siddaramaiah may have decided to resign because the message was conveyed directly by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Chief Minister has previously said he would step down if asked to do so by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier this week, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were called to by the party leadership. Several rounds of discussions reportedly took place at the Congress headquarters involving Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
