Siddaramaiah has handed over the reins of Karnataka to DK Shivakumar, but the Congress on Saturday made it clear that the veteran leader’s political role is far from over. Soon after the Congress Legislature Party meeting elected Shivakumar as leader, party general secretary KC Venugopal declared that the Congress would not allow Siddaramaiah to rest, urging him to continue playing an active role in both Karnataka and national politics.
The Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru unanimously elected Shivakumar as the new CLP leader and formally named Karnataka’s next Chief Minister, two days after Siddaramaiah‘s resignation on Congress’s high command’s direction.
“I can proudly say that the sincere Congress heart of Siddaramaiah ji has won everyone over and given a befitting reply to the BJP, which thought this would not be an easy transition,” Venugopal said, referring to the BJP’s repeated attacks on the Congress over the prolonged leadership tussle in Karnataka.
Addressing Siddaramaiah directly, Venugopal added, “We will not allow you to rest. Your service is needed for Congress in Karnataka and at the national level also.”
During discussions over the leadership transition, the Congress leadership had reportedly offered Siddaramaiah a Rajya Sabha berth and a larger national role in Delhi, projecting him as the party’s prominent OBC face ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. However, the 78-year-old leader declined the proposal, preferring to remain active in Karnataka politics.
At the CLP meeting, it was Siddaramaiah himself who proposed Shivakumar’s name for the top post, while senior leader G Parameshwara seconded the proposal. The legislators then unanimously endorsed Shivakumar as the CLP leader.
Subsequently, Siddaramaiah shared an emotional message congratulating Shivakumar and called for what he described as a “second freedom struggle” to protect the Constitution and the country’s secular fabric.
In a strongly worded statement, he alleged that “those who killed Gandhi are now setting out to glorify Godse” and accused divisive forces of attempting to polarise the country in the name of caste and religion.
“We are in a phase where we must wage a second freedom struggle to protect the unity and integrity of the country and safeguard the honour of the Constitution,” Siddaramaiah said, adding that not just Congress legislators but the “seven crore people of the state” would stand with Shivakumar in that struggle.
Praising Shivakumar’s organisational abilities and loyalty to the Congress, Siddaramaiah said he had “closely observed” the incoming Chief Minister’s “indomitable dynamism, organisational acumen and unwavering loyalty to the Congress party”.
He said the responsibility of carrying forward Karnataka’s development now rested on Shivakumar’s shoulders and expressed confidence that the new Chief Minister possessed the “steadfastness, capability and foresight” required for the role.
Meanwhile, Venugopal declared that under Shivakumar’s leadership, and with Siddaramaiah’s continued backing, the Congress would return to power again in the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections.
Venugopal also praised Shivakumar’s long political journey within the Congress organisation, describing his rise as the result of years of hard work and loyalty to the party. Calling him one of the Congress’s most committed leaders, he said, “His love and loyalty for Congress is unmatched. His 24/7 hard work has made him Chief Minister finally.”
Even as the Congress leadership projected unity during the transition, intense lobbying for cabinet berths gathered pace among ministerial aspirants. Several leaders from the outgoing Council of Ministers are seeking to retain their positions, while first-time aspirants have reached Delhi to press their claims before the party high command.
Sources indicated that the new cabinet is likely to feature a mix of old and new faces while carefully balancing caste equations, regional representation and the interests of Siddaramaiah loyalists. There is also speculation that Karnataka could have more than one Deputy Chief Minister in the new government.
The presence of Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yathindra during meetings with the Congress leadership in Delhi also fuelled speculation about his possible induction into the cabinet.
Discussions are simultaneously underway over the next Karnataka Congress president, with senior MLA and former minister Satish Jarkiholi emerging as a frontrunner to replace Shivakumar in the organisational post.
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