‘Not interested in national politics’: Siddaramaiah resigns, says Congress high command will pick successor
Siddaramaiah said he had maintained in the past that he would resign as CM whenever the Congress leadership asked him, and added that he would continue in active politics.
With Siddaramaiah becoming the longest-serving CM in January, there was speculation that he would be asked to step down to make way for D K Shivakumar post the budget session in March. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation on Thursday, bringing the protracted dispute over power-sharing in the state to an end. In the absence of Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, he handed the resignation letter to the governor’s secretary.
“I voluntarily resigned when they asked me to,” Siddaramaiah said, addressing a news conference, adding that the party leadership and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) would decide who would succeed him.
Siddaramaiah said he had maintained in the past that he would resign as chief minister whenever the Congress leadership asked him, and added that he would continue in active politics.
“Till my last breath, I will fight against communal forces because the Constitution opposes it (communalism). If there were no Constitution, I wouldn’t be literate, an MLA, deputy CM or CM. I would have been a shepherd or a farmer,” he said.
Responding to queries on whether he would enter the Rajya Sabha, he said that although the high command offered to make him a Rajya Sabha MP, “I humbly rejected the offer, saying that I am not interested in national politics. People (of my constituency) have elected me for five years. There are still two years left in my tenure”.
Siddaramaiah thanked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge for providing him the opportunity to become chief minister and the leader of the Opposition twice in the past two decades.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah organised a breakfast meeting with his Cabinet colleagues to announce his resignation. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Excise Minister R B Thimmapur said that many ministers were emotional after he announced his resignation. Labour Minister Santosh Lad, known for his outspoken demeanour, was seen shedding tears as he left the breakfast meeting.
Though there was speculation over the past two days regarding a change of leadership in the state, both national and state Congress leaders had remained tight-lipped on the issue. Hours before Siddaramaiah’s resignation, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had maintained that there was no discussion regarding a change in leadership, and the Delhi meeting held Tuesday with Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar only discussed Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections.
While Siddaramaiah did not reveal who his successor was, indications are that Shivakumar will replace him. Ever since Congress came to power, Shivakumar loyalists have maintained that there was a power-sharing agreement which required Siddaramaiah to cede power after two and a half years. The debate over power-sharing has dominated the headlines over the past three years.
With Siddaramaiah becoming the longest-serving CM in January, there was speculation that he would be asked to step down to make way for Shivakumar post the budget session held in March.
Share
