Siddaramaiah Tells Cabinet He Will Step Down; DK Shivakumar Gets CM's Blessings At Breakfast Meet

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reportedly informed ministers of his decision to resign during a breakfast meeting at his residence, amid indications that DK Shivakumar will take over as next CM.

Emotional visuals of Siddaramaiah embracing Shivakumar and the latter seeking his blessings surfaced as the Congress high command weighed a transition in the state leadership after marathon discussions in Delhi.

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah informed cabinet of his decision to step down.
• Meeting occurred after party high command requested leadership change.
• Siddaramaiah sought Governor's appointment for resignation, sources claim.
• Congress leader denied legislature party meeting, urged no speculation.

Bengaluru, May 28 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed his cabinet colleagues of his decision to step down, during a breakfast hosted at his residence, official sources said on Thursday.

His current deputy and possible successor, D K Shivakumar and other cabinet colleagues attended the breakfast meeting.

In a picture shared by the Chief Minister's Office, Siddaramaiah is seen hugging an emotional Shivakumar. In another picture, CM hopeful Shivakumar is seen touching the feet of Siddaramaiah and taking his blessings.

According to CMO sources, the CM sought the Governor's appointment after the party high command apparently asked him to make way for a leadership change in the state.

However, Lok Bhavan sources said Siddaramaiah has not yet sought time to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who has left for his native city, Indore, for personal reasons.

As the political heat rises in the southern state in anticipation of a new CM, AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, on Wednesday, had clarified that the Congress has not called for a meeting of its legislature party in the state and that no other decision has been taken yet. He requested the media not to speculate on the issue.

The Legislature Party selects its leader, the obvious choice for CM.

Surjewala, who arrived here on Wednesday, also met Siddaramaiah and other senior leaders.

The development follows the Congress high command reportedly asking Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership change in the state and offering him a central role in the party with a Rajya Sabha seat. As per reports, Siddaramaiah has not immediately accepted the central role.

Some sources indicate Siddaramaiah may have decided to step down because the message came directly from the top party leader, Rahul Gandhi. The CM has repeatedly stated that he would step down if the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha asked him to do so.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to Delhi on Tuesday by the party, where there were back-to-back meetings at the Congress headquarters involving Rahul Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Surjewala. PTI KSU ADB

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)