Congress MLA R. V. Deshpande has confirmed that Siddaramaiah has decided to step down from the Chief Minister’s post. The transition is expected to clear the way for Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar to assume office as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, with the swearing-in ceremony likely to take place on May 30, Saturday.
The development comes amid an internal power struggle within the state leadership over the Chief Minister’s position between Siddaramaiah and D. K. Shivakumar. The political uncertainty has intensified discussions within the party regarding the implementation of an earlier reported power-sharing arrangement.
Following the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, which resulted in a decisive victory for the Indian National Congress in Karnataka, senior party leaders are said to have agreed to an informal rotation formula for the Chief Minister’s post. The understanding was reportedly reached at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Under the arrangement, Siddaramaiah was expected to serve as Chief Minister for the first two and a half years of the five-year term, after which he would step down to allow D. K. Shivakumar to take over for the remainder of the tenure. Sources indicate that Siddaramaiah had agreed to resign one week before completing the 2.5-year period.
The internal leadership rotation dispute escalated after the 2.5-year mark was reached on November 20, but Siddaramaiah did not step down at that time, leading to prolonged discussions and political tension within the party’s state unit.
The expected resignation and leadership change mark a crucial turning point in Karnataka’s political landscape, with the Congress party now moving toward finalizing its leadership transition in the state.
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