Siddaramaiah weighs exit, but Governor absent as Karnataka CM suspense deepens

A leadership transition in Karnataka appears imminent, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah likely to step down on Thursday amid mounting indications that the Congress high command has decided to hand over the reins to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

However, uncertainty remained over the timing of any formal move as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is currently not in Bengaluru. The Governor reportedly left the city around 10.30 pm on Wednesday on an 11.30 pm flight to Mumbai, his hometown, due to a family emergency. No return flight has been booked yet.

Meanwhile, sources in the Karnataka CMO said that Siddaramaiah would still submit his resignation to the Governor's office.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah was expected to resign at around 11 am and may meet the Governor to formally submit his resignation. Before that, the 77-year-old veteran leader is also scheduled to host a breakfast meeting for cabinet colleagues, including Shivakumar, at his residence.

The dramatic developments came a day after Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar held a series of meetings in Delhi with senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal and AICC Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.

While the Congress officially maintained silence over the speculation, Surjewala urged the media against drawing conclusions, stating that no Congress Legislature Party meeting had been convened and no formal decision had been announced so far.

In the event of a leadership change, the CLP would elect its new leader, paving the way for the next Chief Minister.

Despite the party's cautious messaging, intense political activity through Wednesday fuelled speculation that Siddaramaiah had agreed to vacate the post after receiving a direct message from the high command. Reports suggested the Congress leadership had offered him a larger role at the national level along with a Rajya Sabha berth, though he is yet to formally accept the proposal.

Furthermore, sources indicated that Siddaramaiah may have agreed to step aside after intervention from Rahul Gandhi. The Chief Minister had earlier publicly stated that he would resign if asked to do so by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Adding to the buzz, senior Congress MLA and Administrative Reforms Commission chairperson RV Deshpande claimed Siddaramaiah had personally informed him about his decision to resign. Deshpande said several legislators urged the Chief Minister not to step down, but Siddaramaiah reportedly told them he had given his word to the party leadership and intended to honour it.

Throughout Wednesday, ministers and MLAs continued visiting Siddaramaiah's residence in Bengaluru. Many reportedly pressed him to reconsider and proposed that the issue be discussed in a Congress Legislature Party meeting. However, sources said the Chief Minister did not respond favourably to such suggestions.

Even as speculation swirled, Siddaramaiah remained guarded in public. On Wednesday, he declined to address questions about his future and said he would speak on the issue on Thursday.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara also refused to comment on the Delhi deliberations, saying only those present knew what transpired. He dismissed talk of his own possible elevation and stressed that everyone in the party must abide by the high command's decision.

Outside the Congress, the possible leadership shift triggered sharp reactions. The Karnataka State Federation of Backward Class Communities warned the party against replacing Siddaramaiah, arguing that the Congress returned to power because of support from backward classes, minorities and Dalits under the AHINDA social coalition.

Federation leaders claimed no other Congress leader matched Siddaramaiah's stature and threatened protests if he was removed.

At the same time, celebrations erupted among Shivakumar supporters across Bengaluru, Ramanagara and other parts of the state amid indications that their leader was set to become Karnataka's next Chief Minister. Supporters gathered near Shivakumar's residence on late Wednesday night after he returned from Delhi ahead of schedule.

In contrast, Siddaramaiah loyalists assembled outside the Chief Minister's official residence, raising slogans and protesting against the reported move to replace him.

The Chief Minister's public appearances on Wednesday further intensified the speculation. Siddaramaiah visited Vidhana Soudha to pay floral tributes to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary and later received the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission's socio-economic and educational survey report, commonly referred to as the caste census report, considered one of the flagship exercises of his government.

According to official sources, several staff members at the Chief Minister's Office and Secretariat emotionally greeted Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha, with the atmosphere resembling a farewell moment.

Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra mocked the Congress over the unfolding crisis, claiming the high command had concluded that Siddaramaiah's government had failed to deliver effective governance over the past three years. He also predicted that Karnataka could head for mid-term Assembly elections regardless of who eventually becomes Chief Minister.

The power struggle within the Congress has simmered since the party returned to power in the May 2023 Assembly elections. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were strong contenders for the top post at the time, before the party leadership persuaded Shivakumar to accept the Deputy Chief Minister's role.

Speculation over a rotational Chief Minister arrangement had persisted ever since, with reports suggesting Shivakumar would take over after two-and-a-half years. Though widely discussed within political circles, the Congress has never officially confirmed such an agreement.