Siddaramaiah Confirms Resignation, Clears Way for Shivakumar as Karnataka CM Amid Leadership Transition

Bengaluru, May 2026 : Karnataka politics witnessed a significant turning point on Thursday after senior Congress leader and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that he would step down from his post, effectively ending months of speculation and internal debate over the state’s leadership within the ruling party.

The announcement also put an end to the prolonged uncertainty surrounding an informal power-sharing understanding between Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D.K. Shivakumar, which had repeatedly surfaced in political discussions and, at times, created tension within the state Congress leadership. With Siddaramaiah’s decision, the leadership transition within Karnataka Congress has now been set in motion.

Importantly, Siddaramaiah also confirmed that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar would succeed him as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, paving the way for a formal change of guard at the state’s highest political office. The development marks a major organisational shift for the Congress party in one of its key southern strongholds.

Reacting to the development, Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar said that the transition was part of earlier internal discussions held within the party before the elections. He emphasised that Siddaramaiah remains a senior and respected leader in the Congress party.

“Before the elections, there were some discussions, and this is all related to that. Siddaramaiah is a very senior and respected leader in our party. He will be given due respect in the party, as he has made a significant contribution and has done good work as Chief Minister,” Wadettiwar said.

He further added that leadership changes should be viewed as part of organisational renewal. “In this situation, bringing in new leadership and youth leadership while respecting senior leaders and giving them good positions and opportunities to work, is a positive step,” he said.

Meanwhile, supporters of D.K. Shivakumar welcomed the development with celebrations and expressions of confidence. Karnataka Sena Pade District President Tejesh Lokesh Gowda said prayers were offered for Shivakumar’s elevation to the Chief Minister’s post.

“We offered prayers and broke coconuts, praying for D.K. Shivakumar to become the Chief Minister. After Siddaramaiah’s resignation, D.K. Shivakumar, who has served the Congress party for the last 40 years, now has the opportunity to become the Chief Minister. We prayed to Lord Ganapati for him to become a good CM,” Gowda said.

Congress workers also expressed optimism over the leadership change, anticipating an early swearing-in of Shivakumar. Party worker Uma Shankar said preparations for celebrations were already underway.

“D.K. Shivakumar will surely take oath as Chief Minister, and we are going to celebrate it on a grand scale,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had held a high-profile breakfast meeting at the Chief Minister’s official residence ‘Kaveri’ in Bengaluru. The meeting had drawn significant political attention amid escalating speculation over a leadership change.

Shivakumar, widely seen as a key contender for the top post, arrived at the residence accompanied by several Cabinet ministers and senior Congress leaders known to be close to Siddaramaiah. The gathering was viewed as an important prelude to the formal announcement that followed later in the day, signalling a new chapter in Karnataka’s political landscape.