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Siddaramaiah resigned as Karnataka chief minister on Thursday, ending months of uncertainty over the Congress leadership transition in the state and potentially clearing the way for his deputy and challenger DK Shivakumar to assume office.

Siddaramaiah held a breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleagues, including Shivakumar, then drove to Lok Bhavan at 2.45pm. The resignation letter was submitted to Prabhu Shankar, special secretary to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is currently outside the state and was expected to return later on Friday. Formal acceptance of the resignation is likely only after his return.

“The high command directed me two days ago to step down, and accordingly, I submitted my resignation today. I got the opportunity to serve the people of Karnataka twice, for which I thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge,” he added.

In the evening, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar both headed to Delhi for talks with the party leadership but thunderstorms in the Capital grounded the former’s flight in Jaipur. Shivakumar, meanwhile, arrived in the Capital late Thursday night.

The outgoing CM said he intended to continue as a legislator and remain in public life. “I have two more years as an MLA. I will serve my people. I will continue in active politics,” he said.

Asked about his successor while seated beside Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah avoided naming a personal choice. “Whoever the high command and CLP chooses will be the CM of the state,” he said.

Later, Parliamentary Affairs minister HK Patil told reporters that Siddaramaiah, before his resignation, had said that “we will make DK Shivakumar the new CM.”

Congress leaders are yet to announce the timing of the Congress legislature party meeting where Shivakumar is expected to be formally elected the leader. A senior party leader familiar with the discussions said the governor was expected to return to Bengaluru on Friday.

Also Read: Karnataka Governor accepts Siddaramaiah’s resignation as chief minister, dissolves cabinet

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 had till now blocked Shivakumar, the party’s main troubleshooter and poll financier.

That impasse was resolved on Thursday with the state’s longest-serving CM stepping aside. It came two days after the party leadership called both leaders to Delhi and held marathon meetings, where the high command pushed Siddaramaiah to step aside.

Officially, the party said discussions were on the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and polls in the Karnataka legislative council. But people aware of developments said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge told Siddaramaiah that the latter needed to step down and make way for a new leadership, especially in light of the 2028 assembly elections. 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.

After Siddaramaiah’s resignation, attention shifted to the composition of the next cabinet with speculation mounting about multiple deputy chief ministers being appointed. Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, is expected to enter the Cabinet and is also being discussed for a deputy chief minister role, with supporters arguing that his inclusion could help retain backward class support. Lingayat leaders MB Patil and Eshwar Khandre are among the names under consideration, while names of Parameshwar and Priyank Kharge are being discussed for Scheduled Caste representation. Muslim representation is also part of the consultations, people aware of the matter said,with Tanveer Sait and NA Haris among the names in consideration. The name of HC Mahadevappa has also figured in the discussions, the people said.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah addressed ministers and senior Congress leaders during a closed door meeting at Cauvery, his official residence in Bengaluru. According to leaders present, he spoke about his discussions with the Congress high command in New Delhi and urged unity during the transfer of power. Among those present were Priyank, KJ George, MB Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Patil and Shivakumar.

Ministers who attended the meeting said Siddaramaiah informed colleagues that Shivakumar was chosen as the next CM and that the formal process would follow the CLP meeting.

Also Read: ‘No regrets’: Siddaramaiah to remain active in Karnataka politics

Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said Siddaramaiah spoke “gracefully and emotionally” about the recent discussions in New Delhi. “He conveyed what had happened in New Delhi, that there is going to be a change of guard here. It shows his maturity and clarity,” Rao said.

Rao said Siddaramaiah also sought to calm concerns over divisions inside the party after the leadership change. “He was clear and told us what the high command said. That we are together and we will work together. He said there is no animosity or any hurt. Opposing the rule of BJP is the challenge ahead of us,” Rao said.

According to ministers present, Shivakumar also addressed the gathering and said Siddaramaiah will remain central to the party’s future campaign plans. “DK Shivakumar also spoke and said Siddaramaiah is our leader and if we have to win the 2028 election, we will not be able to win without him,” Rao said.

On Wednesday, Siddaramaiah accepted the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission’s Socio Economic and Educational Survey report, commonly referred to as the caste census.

The report, first prepared during Siddaramaiah’s earlier tenure as chief minister, had remained pending since 2017. After returning to office in 2023, Siddaramaiah ordered a fresh survey, the report of which was completed this year and submitted by Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission chairman K Madhusudan Nayak.

The timing of the move gave the administrative exercise wider political significance, placing responsibility for handling the report and its consequences on the incoming government, most likely led by Shivakumar.

Leader of the Opposition, R Ashoka of the BJP, said the Congress government had failed in governance and claimed there was a strong anti-incumbency mood in Karnataka. “After being reprimanded by the high command and moving reluctantly toward resignation, I thought Siddaramaiah would at least now introspect and regret his appeasement politics and fake socialism,” he said.

Arun Dev is an Assistant Editor with the Karnataka bureau of Hindustan Times. A journalist for over 10 years, he has written extensively on crime and politics.