BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned on Thursday, paving the way for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to take over the state’s top post amid major political developments in the Congress-led government.
Siddaramaiah informed Cabinet colleagues of his decision during a breakfast meeting at his official residence before submitting his resignation to the Governor’s office. He later addressed a joint press conference with DK Shivakumar.
The Congress leadership is expected to finalise the transition in the coming days, with sources indicating that DK Shivakumar’s swearing-in could take place on May 31, June 1 or June 3.
A scheduled meeting between Siddaramaiah and Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi was postponed until Friday after the outgoing chief minister’s flight was diverted to Jaipur due to bad weather.
Rahul Gandhi is expected to play a key role in deciding Siddaramaiah’s future within the Congress. Party leaders are reportedly considering a larger organisational responsibility for Siddaramaiah at the national level, projecting him as a prominent OBC face ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The leadership change has also intensified focus on Karnataka’s caste census report, which Siddaramaiah formally accepted shortly before resigning. The caste survey has been strongly backed by Rahul Gandhi, who has repeatedly described caste census data as essential for social justice and welfare planning.
Political observers say the Congress now faces a challenge balancing the interests of dominant caste groups and the party’s AHINDA support base. Any decision on implementing the report is likely to have wider political implications for both DK Shivakumar in Karnataka and Rahul Gandhi’s national social justice campaign.
Speaking after stepping down, Siddaramaiah said he would remain active in Karnataka politics rather than shift to a national role. He said he intended to continue working for the people of the state and his constituency.
