Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday informed his cabinet colleagues about his decision to step down from the top post during a breakfast meeting hosted at his official residence in Bengaluru, sources told PTI.
The development has intensified speculation about an imminent leadership change in Karnataka, with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar emerging as the frontrunner to take over as chief minister.
Several cabinet ministers attended the breakfast meeting, including Shivakumar, who has long been seen as a key contender for the state’s top political post.
Pictures from meeting spark political buzz
Photographs released by the Chief Minister’s Office soon after the meeting further fuelled speculation surrounding the leadership transition.
One image showed Siddaramaiah embracing an emotional D K Shivakumar, while another captured Shivakumar touching the chief minister’s feet and seeking his blessings.
The visuals quickly went viral on social media and triggered intense political discussions in Karnataka, where uncertainty over the Congress leadership has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office told PTI that Siddaramaiah also sought an appointment with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot after reportedly receiving directions from the Congress high command to facilitate a leadership change in the state.
However, Raj Bhavan sources later told PTI that no formal request for a meeting had yet been received from the chief minister.
The Governor is currently in his hometown, Indore, for personal reasons, sources told PTI.
Congress leadership yet to make official announcement
Despite growing indications of a transition, the Congress leadership has so far refrained from making any formal announcement regarding a change in chief minister.
AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, on Wednesday urged the media not to speculate on the issue and stated that no Congress Legislature Party meeting had been convened yet.
The Legislature Party formally elects the leader of the party in the Assembly, who then becomes the chief minister.
Surjewala, who arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday, also held discussions with Siddaramaiah and other senior Congress leaders amid the unfolding political developments.
Rahul Gandhi’s intervention seen as decisive
The latest developments come after reports that the Congress high command had asked Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership transition and offered him a larger organisational role at the national level along with a Rajya Sabha seat.
However, reports suggest Siddaramaiah did not immediately accept the proposal.
Sources within the party told PTI that Siddaramaiah may have agreed to step aside because the message was conveyed directly by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The chief minister had earlier stated publicly on several occasions that he would step down if Rahul Gandhi personally requested him to do so.
Earlier this week, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to New Delhi, where multiple rounds of meetings took place at the Congress headquarters.
The discussions reportedly involved Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Leadership tussle dates back to 2023 election victory
The leadership issue within the Karnataka Congress dates back to the party’s Assembly election victory in May 2023.
At the time, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were both strong contenders for the chief minister’s post, leading to prolonged discussions within the party leadership.
The Congress eventually appointed Siddaramaiah as chief minister, while Shivakumar was made deputy chief minister and state Congress president.
Although never officially confirmed by the party, there were widespread reports that a “rotational chief minister formula” had been worked out under which Shivakumar would take over after two-and-a-half years.
With the Congress government crossing the halfway mark of its five-year term in November 2025, speculation around the possible implementation of that arrangement has intensified in recent months.
(With inputs from PTI)