<p>Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/sanjay-raut">Sanjay Raut</a> on Thursday praised outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for stepping down smoothly amid the leadership transition in the Congress government, describing the move as a rare example of political discipline and restraint in contemporary Indian politics.</p><p>Amid intense discussions over the transfer of power in Karnataka from Siddaramaiah to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Raut said his “respect” for the veteran Congress leader had increased because of the manner in which the transition was handled.</p><p>“Such a selfless sacrifice of power and such a smooth transition are rare phenomena in modern Indian politics. Siddaramaiah Ji is a people’s leader,” Raut said.</p>.Karnataka Congress Legislature Party to meet tomorrow to elect new leader.<p>The remarks come at a time when coalition politics and leadership tussles have increasingly become sources of instability in several states. Political observers noted that Raut’s comments also appeared aimed at contrasting the Karnataka transition with bitter power struggles witnessed in Maharashtra in recent years.</p><p>Raut, a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, described the leadership change as an “internal arrangement” of the Congress party and said Siddaramaiah had respected the party leadership’s decision.</p><p>“I have rarely seen this. <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/siddaramaiah">Siddaramaiah</a> obeyed the party’s order and resigned gracefully,” he said.</p><p>Asked whether the Congress leadership had prevented Siddaramaiah from shifting to national politics in Delhi, Raut said some leaders preferred remaining rooted in state politics because of their mass connect.</p><p>“Siddaramaiah is a grassroots leader and a very big leader in Karnataka. Just as Maharashtra had leaders like Vasantdada Patil and Vasantrao Naik, who preferred working in the state, Siddaramaiah is also such a mass leader,” he said.</p>.Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepts Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Karnataka CM.<p>The Karnataka leadership transition is being closely watched nationally as the Congress attempts to balance competing power centres while maintaining political stability in one of the few large states governed by the party on its own.</p><p>Raut’s comments are also significant in the backdrop of opposition efforts to project regional leaders with strong grassroots appeal as key pillars of anti-BJP politics ahead of future electoral battles.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/sanjay-raut">Sanjay Raut</a> on Thursday praised outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for stepping down smoothly amid the leadership transition in the Congress government, describing the move as a rare example of political discipline and restraint in contemporary Indian politics.</p><p>Amid intense discussions over the transfer of power in Karnataka from Siddaramaiah to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Raut said his “respect” for the veteran Congress leader had increased because of the manner in which the transition was handled.</p><p>“Such a selfless sacrifice of power and such a smooth transition are rare phenomena in modern Indian politics. Siddaramaiah Ji is a people’s leader,” Raut said.</p>.Karnataka Congress Legislature Party to meet tomorrow to elect new leader.<p>The remarks come at a time when coalition politics and leadership tussles have increasingly become sources of instability in several states. Political observers noted that Raut’s comments also appeared aimed at contrasting the Karnataka transition with bitter power struggles witnessed in Maharashtra in recent years.</p><p>Raut, a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, described the leadership change as an “internal arrangement” of the Congress party and said Siddaramaiah had respected the party leadership’s decision.</p><p>“I have rarely seen this. <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/siddaramaiah">Siddaramaiah</a> obeyed the party’s order and resigned gracefully,” he said.</p><p>Asked whether the Congress leadership had prevented Siddaramaiah from shifting to national politics in Delhi, Raut said some leaders preferred remaining rooted in state politics because of their mass connect.</p><p>“Siddaramaiah is a grassroots leader and a very big leader in Karnataka. Just as Maharashtra had leaders like Vasantdada Patil and Vasantrao Naik, who preferred working in the state, Siddaramaiah is also such a mass leader,” he said.</p>.Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepts Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Karnataka CM.<p>The Karnataka leadership transition is being closely watched nationally as the Congress attempts to balance competing power centres while maintaining political stability in one of the few large states governed by the party on its own.</p><p>Raut’s comments are also significant in the backdrop of opposition efforts to project regional leaders with strong grassroots appeal as key pillars of anti-BJP politics ahead of future electoral battles.</p>