Should stay as 1 family: Siddaramaiah resigns, paves way for DK Shivakumar
Siddaramaiah, Karnataka's longest-serving Chief Minister, resigned on Thursday, ending days of suspense after the Congress high command told him to step down and pave the
Siddaramaiah, Karnataka's longest-serving Chief Minister, resigned on Thursday, ending days of suspense after the Congress high command told him to step down and pave the way for his bete noire DK Shivakumar. Shivakumar, whose tug-of-war with Siddaramaiah over the top post has played out over the past few months, is all set to take over as the new CM with two to three deputies to ensure the caste equation remains balanced. Read Full Story Addressing a press conference shortly after his resignation, Siddaramaiah said he was making way for a new CM.
"I have told you all many times, when the high command asks me to resign, I will resign. Two days back, the high command asked me to step down. Hence, I have resigned," Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress in 2006, said. Dismissing speculation of any bad blood, Siddaramaiah underscored that the Congress in Karnataka would stay as one family. "Always believed that we should stay as one family... Ensured equality during my tenure," he said. Among the biggest OBC leaders of the Congress with a mass appeal, Siddaramaiah's departure brings down the curtains on one of the most enduring political careers in the party's history in Karnataka.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah broke the news of his resignation to his Cabinet over a closely watched breakfast meeting. Shivakumar, who was present, was seen embracing Siddaramaiah and even touching his feet to seek his blessings. The optics were enough to confirm that a leadership transition in the state was to take place. Before the media briefing, Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to the secretary of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is out of the state. The governor is likely to return by the end of the day.
A firebrand leader, Siddaramaiah became Karnataka's longest-serving CM in January earlier this year, overtaking his political mentor D Devaraj Urs. An astute leader in the old-school mould, Siddaramaiah built his legacy on welfare politics and OBC mobilisation. Ends
The BriefWire