Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah likely to resign today, say Congress MLAs

KArnataka chief government minister Siddaramaiah testament denote on th whether he has decided to tread down from the top job after a breakfast meeting at his official residence with his deputy and challenger DK Shivakumar and other cabinet colleagues, with two party lawmakers indicating that the 77-year-old veteran was set to resign.People aware of the matter said Siddamaraiah was likely to meet governor Thawarchand Gehlot in the afternoon after the breakfast meeting, which might be attended by the party leadership. The leaders cited above also said that several formulas were being discussed if Siddaramaiah chose to step aside, including one where multiple deputy CMs are appointed.“I will speak tomorrow,” the CM said, after paying floral tributes to former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary.Congress lawmaker Ashok K Pattan said that the “CM might resign after 3pm on Thursday”. “He has already taken an appointment with the governor. About the next CM, the high command will decide,” Pattan told reporters.“Yes, there is a 100 per cent possibility,” he told reporters when asked whether Shivakumar was likely to become the CM.Also Read | 'Siddaramaiah compromised': His predecessor's big claim amid CM change buzz in KarnatakaSenior lawmaker RV Deshpande said the CM might resign on Thursday or the day after.“I was with the CM. He said, ‘I have decided to resign.’ I did not question him about why he was resigning. We tried to persuade him, saying, ‘Why don’t you continue?’” Deshpande said.“We said the decision was a surprise to us, but he said, ‘No, I have decided to resign.’ The MLAs who were there wanted him to continue, but he said he had given his word to the high command and would respect it,” he added.The developments came after marathon meetings on Tuesday between the party leadership, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, with people aware of the matter saying the high command pushed the former to step aside.Also Read | Karnataka ‘confusion’ to be cleared tomorrow: Minister amid CM Siddaramaiah's resignation buzzOfficially, the party said discussions were on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and polls in the Karnataka legislative council. But the people cited above said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge told Siddaramaiah that the latter needed to step down and make way for a new leadership. However, the 77-year-old leader refused to acquiesce immediately and instead asked for two days to decide. The people cited above also said that Siddaramaiah was reluctant to hand over duties to Shivakumar but was told by Kharge that the choice of successor was not his.HT had reported on Tuesday that Siddaramaiah might be presented with a formula where he steps aside in return for a Rajya Sabha seat and a possible cabinet position for his son Yathindra — a member of the state legislative council — in return.Four Rajya Sabha seats, including that of Kharge, are going to the polls from Karnataka in June, and the Congress is expected to win three of them.Party general secretary organisation KC Venugopal and general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala reached Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon and are likely to be present at the breakfast meeting. At the Bengaluru airport, Surjewala said the decision to hold a Congress legislative party meeting had not been taken and refuted claims of a leadership change in Karnataka. Party leaders, however, said the CLP meeting was expected on Friday and swearing-in likely over the weekend.“..Currently no meeting of the legislature party has been called by the Congress. No other decision has yet been taken. As things evolve, we will inform you...I want to assure every brother and sister of Karnataka (and) every single Kannadiga that the only decision we will take will be in the interest of the people of Karnataka,” said Surjewala.Surjewala lauded both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for their contributions and said, “Whatever decision the party will take in days to come I shall inform you...The only decision Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji will take will only be in favour of Karnataka, not in favour of individuals.”After the Congress won its biggest victory in a generation in Karnataka in 2023, the government has been mired in tensions over the top post. Siddaramaiah, a two-time chief minister who built a grassroots coalition of backwards, Dalits and Muslims that propelled the Congress a rare victory against the Bharatiya Janata Party, had agreed to a power swap halfway through the five-year tenure but has till now blocked Shivakumar, the party’s main troubleshooter and poll financier, said the people cited above.Now, with about two years to go for the next assembly elections and the government in doldrums, the Congress is hoping to set its house in order.According to party leaders aware of developments, a proposal to create four deputy chief minister posts was floated during the party’s leadership negotiations with the CM. “The CM has sought multiple deputy chief minister positions for leaders aligned with him as part of a broader transition arrangement being discussed with the Congress high command. Representation and internal balance are now a major part of the negotiations,” a senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.Siddaramaiah’s loyalists however, pointed out that he was the only backward caste CM of the Congress. “Rahul Gandhi wants to establish himself as a champion of OBC and Dalits. But what message would he be giving by removing the lone OBC CM?” a former Rajya Sabha member said.Late evening, Surjewala went to meet Siddaramaiah at the latter’s residence.Karnataka CM’s legal adviser AS Ponnanna admitted that some changes are going to take place. “...What transpires, how it transpires, what is going to happen, what is the nature of the change, we have to wait and watch.”Party leaders also said the decision on the composition of the cabinet will be taken after consulting senior leaders in Bengaluru. “We expected many leaders close to Siddaramaiah to be part of the cabinet,” a senior party leader said.Leaders involved in the talks are attempting to secure his support before carrying out any transition. “There is caution within the party about how the transition is handled,” another Congress functionary said, requesting anonymity. “Nobody wants a situation where one section feels ignored after the change.”Shivakumar, who has long been viewed as a contender for the chief minister’s post, has remained publicly restrained during the latest round of developments.Several leaders – including MB Patil, Eshwar Khandre, G Parameswara, Tanveer Sait, HC Mahadevappa and Priyank Kharge – are being discussed as possible cabinet nominees, said the people cited above.“One of the priorities is ensuring that all major communities see themselves represented in the new arrangement,” a party leader familiar with the discussions said. Along with the government, changes are also expected in the Karnataka Congress with the nomination of a new state unit chief in place of Shivakumar, who holds dual charge of deputy CM and Karnataka Congress president.