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Amid confusion in Congress ranks, Siddaramaiah likely to announce resignation today

With D K Shivakumar expected to succeed Siddaramaiah, the CM has called a breakfast meeting with his Cabinet colleagues on Thursday. But senior Congress leaders maintain no decision on a leadership change has been taken

Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah (File photo)

Written by: Akram M

4 min readBengaluruMay 28, 2026 05:34 AM IST First published on: May 27, 2026 at 09:12 PM IST

Siddaramaiah’s tenure as the longest serving Chief Minister of Karnataka is expected to come to an end Thursday, as he is expected to resign from the post. Though the Congress high command has not explicitly named his successor, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar is poised to succeed him.

Siddaramaiah has convened a breakfast meeting with his Cabinet colleagues on Thursday morning. According to sources, the CM has sought an appointment from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to submit his resignation. Shivakumar, who held meetings in Delhi on Wednesday, is expected to fly back to Bengaluru on Thursday morning to participate in Siddaramaiah’s breakfast meeting.

However, sources in the Chief Minister’s Office told The Indian Express that Siddaramaiah would submit his resignation on Thursday, likely in the second half. Congress MLA Ashok Pattan, a Siddaramaiah loyalist, told reporters that the CM would resign at around 3 pm on Thursday.

Siddaramaiah remained tight-lipped about the end of his term as CM, saying he would comment on the issue on Thursday. However, confusion prevailed among Congress ranks as AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, told reporters that the party has not taken a decision on a change of leadership.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in Bengaluru Wednesday evening, Surjewala said the meeting held in Delhi a day earlier had only deliberated on the candidates for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections. “No other decision has yet been taken,” he said, urging the media “not to indulge in speculation”. The Congress, he said, was capable of deciding on the leadership issue. “Whenever we decide anything on the issue, I will happily inform you,” he said, adding that a Congress Legislature Party meeting has not been convened yet.

Also Read | Karnataka CM change buzz: All eyes on Siddaramaiah’s breakfast meeting tomorrow

Earlier on Wednesday, state Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close aide of Siddaramaiah, said that though there was speculation over a leadership change, it would be confirmed only after the CM made an official announcement at the breakfast meeting. “Then there will be a full stop to this whole episode. I don’t know what directions the high command has issued. We will only know at the (breakfast) meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Industries Minister M B Patil dismissed reports of leadership change as mere speculation. “The question of the CM resigning does not arise. What has (AICC general secretary organisation K C) Venugopal said? His statement following the meeting is official. The official statement is final,” he said.

State Home Minister G Parameshwara maintained that he was not aware of the subjects discussed during the Delhi meeting and about the change in leadership. “We don’t know. But, there is a lot of speculation in the media,” he said.

Throughout Wednesday, several Congress legislators met Siddaramaiah. State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, who met the CM, said he had expressed his concerns over change in leadership. “(Siddaramaiah) maintained silence,” Patil said.

Another strong sign of the imminent change of guard in the state was Siddaramaiah accepting the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey report of the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission on Wednesday evening. The survey is among the pet projects of Siddaramaiah, who was forced to junk an earlier survey under pressure from dominant caste groups.