Siddaramaiah ‘shell-shocked’ as Congress high command seeks his resignation

New Delhi: Siddaramaiah was reportedly shell-shocked after top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, asked him to step down as chief minister of Karnataka, sources said on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah, who was hoping to complete the remaining two years of his term and was keen on a Cabinet reshuffle, did not anticipate the high command’s decision, according to sources.

The development came during a series of marathon meetings held at the Congress headquarters - Indira Bhavan.

Soon after meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries

K C Venugopal. Randeep Surjewala, and visibly surprised Siddaramaiah proceeded to the residence of Energy Minister K J George.

Ministers close to him — Byrathi Suresh, H C Mahadevappa, and G Parameshwara — joined the gathering, where he disclosed that Rahul Gandhi had asked him to resign.

He reportedly told his supporters that he would return to Bengaluru immediately.

Rajya Sabha seat?

The party is believed to have offered him a Rajya Sabha seat, but the veteran leader expressed no interest in shifting to national politics. Sources said Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly pushed for leadership change.

The Congress high command is working on a smooth transition formula that would allow Siddaramaiah a graceful exit. The move is driven by multiple factors, including Siddaramaiah turning 80 in 2028 and concerns over the government’s governance record.These issues are also believed to be the reasons behind the delay in approving the Cabinet reshuffle he had sought.

The leadership tussle intensified after Siddaramaiah completed two-and-a-half years in office in June 2025. This duration was widely viewed as part of an informal power-sharing understanding reached between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.

Shivakumar has been frequently visiting Delhi to remind the high command of this arrangement.

Hundreds of leaders including ministers and MLAs loyal to both camps have been camping in the national capital for the past two days. In a crucial six-hour meeting, Rahul Gandhi is understood to have urged both leaders to set aside differences and work together in the interest of party.

He reportedly conveyed that the prolonged succession debate had harmed the party’s image and that earlier commitments must be fulfilled.

The Congress headquarters turned into a media spectacle on Tuesday, with over 300 journalists and more than 100 television crews stationed outside in the sweltering heat, providing continuous live coverage of the developments.