DK Shivakumar was formally elected as the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader at a high-stakes meeting at Vidhan Soudha and is expected to be sworn in as the next Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting was attended by CLP Secretary Allamprabhu Patil, AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal. Outgoing CM Siddaramaiah, who resigned on May 28, proposed and announced DK Shivakumar as the next CLP leader, which was backed by Home Minister G Parameshwara.
The official letter confirming Shivakumar’s election as CLP leader will be sent to Lok Bhavan, and he will then meet the Governor to stake claim to form the new government. Shivakumar earlier said the oath taking ceremony will take place on June 3.
DK Shivakumar moved a resolution thanking Siddaramaiah and seeking his continued guidance and support. With the leadership question settled in Karnataka, attention has now shifted to the next big decision before the Congress high command — who will serve as deputy chief minister under Shivakumar.
“We are going to see DK Shivakumar become the new Chief Minister of Karnataka. This is a day that all of us have been waiting for, and I am sure it is the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream for him," said Congress leader Nayana Motamma.
On Thursday, Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to the Governor’s office, stating that he was acting in accordance with the party leadership’s decision. His resignation was later accepted, bringing an end to months of speculation over a possible change in Karnataka’s leadership.
The next day, he met senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi amid preparations for the leadership transition in the state. According to reports, Siddaramaiah thanked Rahul Gandhi for giving him the opportunity to serve as chief minister and informed him that he had resigned from the post as directed by the party leadership.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had accepted Siddaramaiah’s resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.
The meeting follows a round of marathon talks in New Delhi involving the Congress high command, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, aimed at concluding the leadership change and charting the course for the formation of the new government. According to Congress sources, around eight to 10 ministers are expected to take oath along with Shivakumar.
Since the Congress’s victory in the 2023 Assembly elections, there had been a persistent talk of a power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which would involve a transfer of power after 2.5 years.
