At breakfast meet with DK Shivakumar, CM Siddaramaiah announces he will resign

At breakfast meet with DK Shivakumar, CM Siddaramaiah announces he will resign

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, May 28, 2026: Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday confirmed that he will step down as Chief Minister of Karnataka, paving the way for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to take over the post after a prolonged leadership tussle within the party.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting held at his Bengaluru residence with senior ministers and party leaders, Siddaramaiah said the Congress high command had proposed Shivakumar as the next chief minister and that he had agreed to the decision.

The Karnataka Congress unit also shared a message of unity on social media, posting photographs of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar together with the caption: “That day, this day, forever… unity is our strength! Public service is our eternal commitment.”

Supporters of Shivakumar celebrated the announcement outside his residence by distributing sweets and raising slogans.

The development followed two days of intense discussions in Delhi involving senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal. Though the meetings were officially held to discuss candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka, speculation over a leadership change had intensified.

Sources indicated that the Congress leadership had finalised the transition after extensive consultations. Priyanka Gandhi was reportedly among those who supported the change in leadership.

Soon after the discussions, Siddaramaiah invited Shivakumar and senior ministers for the breakfast meeting at his residence on Thursday morning. Traditional Kannada dishes including masala dosa, idli, sambar, chutney and kesaribath were served during the gathering.

The leadership issue had been simmering within the Karnataka Congress since 2024 and intensified in late 2025 amid claims of a power-sharing arrangement after the party’s victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. According to the widely discussed but unofficial arrangement, Siddaramaiah was to serve as chief minister for the first half of the term before handing over charge to Shivakumar.

However, Siddaramaiah had earlier resisted stepping down, leading to prolonged uncertainty within the party. With the transition now finalised, the Congress hopes to present a united front ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, another development added uncertainty to the timing of the swearing-in ceremony. Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot reportedly left for Mumbai on Thursday after a family member fell ill. If Shivakumar is to be sworn in on Saturday as planned, the governor may need to return for the ceremony or the event could be postponed.