Siddaramaiah steps down as Karnataka CM, says decision 'voluntary'

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has resigned on the Congress high command's suggestion, calling it a "voluntary" move. He will remain in state politics. The BJP has slammed the Congress, alleging internal power struggles for the leadership change.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday stepped down from his post, submitting his resignation to the Governor's Special Secretary at Lok Bhavan, saying the decision was taken "voluntarily" on the suggestion of the Congress high command, amid indications of a leadership change in the state.

Siddaramaiah on Resignation: 'No Pressure'

Addressing a press conference, Siddaramaiah said he had resigned after directions from the party leadership and insisted there was no pressure behind the move. "I have resigned voluntarily. There is no pressure on me," he said, adding that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will decide the next Chief Minister.He further clarified that he had declined an offer from the party leadership to move to the Rajya Sabha. "The high command said I should go to Rajya Sabha, but I told them I will remain in Karnataka politics. I will continue active politics till my last breath," he said.Siddaramaiah also stated that he would continue in state politics and complete his political term as envisioned by the mandate. "People have elected me for five years. I will keep fighting against criminal forces," he said.Expressing gratitude, the outgoing Chief Minister thanked senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for giving him the opportunity to serve as Chief Minister twice. He said his political journey was rooted in constitutional values and public trust. "I bow to the Constitution and Babasaheb Ambedkar," Siddaramaiah said, adding that voters are "Gods" for him, recalling his rise from a farmer's family to the state's top post.

Highlights Government's Achievements

He also listed his government's achievements, including welfare schemes, budgetary milestones, and social development measures. Siddaramaiah claimed that out of over 550 promises made in 2023, nearly 300 have been fulfilled, while 158 of 163 promises from 2013 were implemented. Defending his government's performance, he said Karnataka continues to show strong economic indicators. "Karnataka is number two in GST collection and the growth rate is 8.1 per cent," he said, adding that fiscal management remains within permissible limits despite revenue constraints. Siddaramaiah also alleged that revenue deficits were due to delayed central funds, including GST compensation and allocations under key schemes.

BJP Slams Congress Over Leadership Change

Reacting harshly to the development, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson NV Subhash alleged that the Congress party had failed in governance and accused it of internal power struggles. He said, "This is nothing but the failure of the Congress Party... the Congress party have cheated the people of Karnataka because they have given a lot of promises, false hopes for development, but from past many years."He further alleged that leadership tussles within the Congress had destabilised governance in the state. "There is only one person who is eyeing on the Chief Minister post that is DK Shivakumar and he wants to dethrone CM Siddaramaiah with the help of Rahul Gandhi for opening an ATM account. Now DK Shivakumar will make the Gandhi family richer in the next two years," he added.BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also criticised the Congress leadership, claiming Siddaramaiah appeared "sorrowful" during his resignation and alleging contradictions in the party's stand on representation. "Today, Siddaramaiah has resigned with such a sorrowful heart that sadness was visible on his face. Money had overshadowed popularity. People are saying this... Rahul Gandhi was lecturing about the caste census for a long time. Now, when I look at the list of Congress chief ministers, I don't see anyone from the OBC community. Here, our Prime Minister is from the OBC community, and we have chief ministers from every community too," he told ANI.Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council and BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said there should have been a Dalit Chief Minister in Karnataka and warned of possible discontent among Dalit leaders in the party following the leadership change.

Congress, Allies Defend Transition

Defending the move, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary K C Venugopal praised Siddaramaiah's tenure, saying Karnataka witnessed "transformative growth" under his leadership and calling his resignation a "selfless decision" taken in the party's interest.Karnataka Legislative Council Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed said the resignation was carried out as per the high command's directive and confirmed that the next Chief Minister would be decided by the CLP and AICC.Furthermore, Congress leader Ajay Singh described Siddaramaiah as one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers of Karnataka and said he had always adhered to party discipline. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "One of the longest serving chief ministers of Karnataka across all three parties, Mr Siddaramaiah, has tendered his resignation. It is a sad day for all legislators. Since day one, he has been saying that the day the party high command asks him to resign, he will do so. Congress President and LoP Rahul Gandhi told him that he has to resign to make way for a new CM. Without batting an eyelid, he resigned."Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said the leadership change marked a "step forward" for the government and praised both Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, suggesting continuity in governance and organisational strength.CPI General Secretary D Raja said the leadership transition reflected a long-standing internal arrangement within the Congress and stressed that the functioning of the new leadership would be closely watched. "The tussle between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah was going on for a long time. In rotation, this Chief Minister's post should be held by those two, but it was going on, the tussle, and the Congress party had to intervene. Finally, we are given to understand Siddaramaiah is resigning, and Shivakumar will take over. Let us see how that government is going to function in the coming days. That's what one should keep watch on the government." Raja told ANI.Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said the Congress, having a majority government in Karnataka, was expected to ensure smooth continuity, noting that Shivakumar's organisational strength could play a key role in the next phase.

Next Steps in Political Transition

Meanwhile, the special flight carrying Siddaramaiah and senior officials, including AICC General Secretary Randeep Surjewala and state ministers, was diverted and landed in Jaipur instead of Delhi due to adverse weather conditions, according to the Chief Minister's Office.The Governor's office has yet to accept the resignation as Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot was out of town. With the resignation now formally submitted, the Congress leadership is expected to announce the next Chief Minister, marking a crucial political transition in Karnataka.Siddaramiah served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for two tenures, the first from 2013-2018 and then, after a resounding victory for the Indian National Congress in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections, Siddaramaiah was sworn in for his second term as Chief Minister. He broke the historic record set by former Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs to become the longest-serving Chief Minister in Karnataka's history. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)