Bengaluru, May 28: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed members of his cabinet on Thursday that he would resign from the top post, triggering emotional scenes during a high-profile breakfast meeting attended by senior ministers and party leaders amid indications of a leadership transition in the state.
Karnataka Excise Minister R.B. Timmapur, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said several ministers broke down after Siddaramaiah announced his decision to step down. According to him, the atmosphere inside the meeting hall turned silent immediately after the announcement, with ministers visibly emotional over the development.
Timmapur stated that Siddaramaiah informed the cabinet that the Congress high command had decided to appoint Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar as the next Chief Minister. He added that Siddaramaiah told ministers he was fulfilling a promise made to Rahul Gandhi to resign whenever directed by the party leadership.
According to Timmapur, Siddaramaiah thanked ministers and cabinet colleagues for their cooperation during his tenure and acknowledged their role in maintaining what he described as an administration free from allegations.
The Excise Minister said the issue of convening a Congress Legislature Party meeting was not discussed during the breakfast interaction. Instead, the focus remained on Siddaramaiah’s announcement and the transition process.
Timmapur further revealed that Siddaramaiah himself became emotional after witnessing ministers react emotionally to the announcement. He described the meeting as one marked by silence and visible grief among cabinet colleagues.
Highlighting Siddaramaiah’s political journey, Timmapur described him as a leader who consistently fought for social justice and welfare-oriented governance. He stated that Siddaramaiah played a key role in addressing issues relating to oppressed communities and internal reservation debates in Karnataka.
Timmapur also said D.K. Shivakumar responded during the meeting by assuring Siddaramaiah that he would continue to function under his guidance and seek his advice in the future.
The minister credited Siddaramaiah with strengthening the Congress party in Karnataka and noted that the party had given him the opportunity to become the longest-serving Chief Minister after former leader D. Devaraj Urs.
Speaking about his own political career, Timmapur said Siddaramaiah had revived his political future after multiple electoral defeats by nominating him as an MLC and later inducting him into the cabinet. He also stated that Siddaramaiah had defended representation for leaders from oppressed communities when questions were raised within political circles.
According to Timmapur, Siddaramaiah also spoke during the meeting about the Congress party’s future direction, democratic values and broader political developments across the country.
The development marks a major political shift in Karnataka and comes amid growing discussions over leadership change within the ruling Congress government. While no official resignation order had been publicly released at the time of reporting, the statements made after the cabinet meeting strongly indicated an imminent transition in the state leadership.
