Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah resigns following ‘High Command nod’; successor indeterminate

Bengaluru: Karnataka entered a phase of intense political uncertainty on Thursday after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned from office following directions from the Congress high command, triggering fresh suspense over who will lead the state next.

The Congress leadership, however, is yet to make a formal announcement in that regard.

The political suspense deepened after senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that no CLP meeting had yet been convened, even as speculation over leadership transition dominated Karnataka’s political landscape throughout the day.

After visiting Raj Bhavan, Siddaramaiah confirmed that he had submitted his resignation letter to the Governor’s Secretary, as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was out of station.

“I had said from the beginning that I would resign whenever the high command asked me to do so. After receiving directions from the high command, I submitted my resignation today,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

However, in a move that immediately fuelled political discussion, Siddaramaiah carefully avoided publicly naming any other leader as his successor despite repeated questions from the media. Instead, he maintained that the decision on the next Chief Minister rested entirely with the Congress leadership.

The outgoing Chief Minister’s silence on succession has intensified internal political calculations within the party, with Congress now attempting to balance factional interests, caste equations and organisational stability during a highly sensitive transition.

Senior Congress leader G Parameshwara’s visible presence alongside Siddaramaiah during Thursday’s breakfast meeting and subsequent political interactions attracted considerable attention.

He was seen seated next to the outgoing Chief Minister during several key engagements before later joining senior Congress leaders travelling to New Delhi for consultations with Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.

In his farewell remarks, Siddaramaiah strongly defended the performance of his government, highlighting the implementation of the Congress’ welfare guarantees and asserting that Karnataka’s financial position remained stable despite sustained criticism from the Opposition.

The veteran leader also made it clear that he would remain active in politics and continue fighting for constitutional values, secularism and social justice.

He ruled out any possibility of moving to national politics or accepting a Rajya Sabha role.