Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned on Thursday, clearing the path for Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to take over following a 2023 rotational pact within the Congress party.
Siddaramaiah, who had served as the state's longest-serving chief minister, stepped down after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked him to make way for Shivakumar. The 79-year-old leader, who turns 80 before the 2028 assembly polls, had earlier stated he would resign if asked by Gandhi.
The transition honours an unwritten 2023 agreement between the two leaders when Siddaramaiah became chief minister and Shivakumar his deputy. Sources noted that Siddaramaiah was initially shocked but agreed to exit gracefully, turning down an offer of a Rajya Sabha seat.
Public displays of unity continued even on the day of the resignation, with Shivakumar touching Siddaramaiah's feet and the two embracing. Siddaramaiah also dismissed a superstition linking visits to Chamarajanagar district with loss of power, having visited the area multiple times during his tenure.
His meeting with Gandhi, originally scheduled for Thursday, was postponed due to bad weather diverting his flight to Jaipur.
