Bengaluru, May 28, 2026 – Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to announce his decision on stepping down from the top post during a crucial breakfast meeting with senior party leaders this morning. The meeting, scheduled at the Chief Minister’s official residence in Bengaluru’s Kaveri area, has intensified speculation that the Congress high command has asked him to pave the way for a leadership transition. Siddaramaiah, who has served as Karnataka’s longest-serving Chief Minister with over 1,829 days in office across two terms, may meet Governor Thawarchand Gehlot later in the day to formalize his resignation if he decides to step aside.
Congress sources have indicated that the party’s Legislative Party meeting, where a successor could be formally named or elected, is likely to be held on Friday, May 29, 2026. The Congress high command, including AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, are expected to arrive in Bengaluru to oversee the transition. The transition is being driven by the Congress leadership’s decision to move Siddaramaiah to the Rajya Sabha, a move that would facilitate a clean leadership change in the southern state.
Senior Congress leaders, including Cabinet Ministers Santhosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, and Byrathi Suresh, have already arrived at Siddaramaiah’s residence for the breakfast meeting. Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar is also expected to attend the meeting. Shivakumar, who has long been seen as a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post, has seen a surge in support from party workers, with supporters gathering outside his Bengaluru residence early this morning. Former Bengaluru Mayor R. Sampath Raj was among those who arrived at Shivakumar’s residence, signaling growing political momentum around his potential elevation.
The Congress high command had held extensive discussions with both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in New Delhi on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, to resolve the leadership tussle that has gripped the state since the Congress government completed two-and-a-half years in office last year. Sources suggest that the high command’s decision to ask Siddaramaiah to step down came directly from top party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi. Siddaramaiah had previously stated that he would resign if the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha requested him to do so, a condition that appears to have been met.
The leadership transition is expected to be formalized through a Legislative Party meeting, where the Congress MLAs will elect the new leader. While Shivakumar is widely tipped to replace Siddaramaiah, the Congress high command has not yet made an official announcement. AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that no official decision has been taken yet and urged the media not to speculate. He also confirmed that a Legislature Party meeting has not yet been called in Karnataka, leaving the door open for other possibilities, including the appointment of multiple Deputy Chief Ministers under a new Chief Minister.
The move to shift Siddaramaiah to the Rajya Sabha aligns with the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 18, 2026, where Congress is expected to win three of the four seats up for grabs. Among those retiring is Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, which further paves the way for Siddaramaiah’s entry into the Upper House. The Rajya Sabha election results are expected to be declared on June 19, 2026.
Meanwhile, Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, who plays a crucial role in accepting the Chief Minister’s resignation, is currently away in Indore on personal grounds. He is expected to return to Bengaluru later today, ahead of the Vice President of India’s visit to Karnataka on Friday. Sources indicate that even if a resignation letter is submitted to a special secretary, the Governor must meet the Chief Minister in person before accepting the resignation, adding a procedural layer to the transition process.
The political churn in Karnataka reflects broader governance concerns, with the BJP alleging that the Congress high command’s decision to replace Siddaramaiah stems from the state government’s perceived failure to deliver good governance over the past three years. BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra predicted mid-term Assembly polls in the state, regardless of who becomes the next Chief Minister, signaling heightened political uncertainty in the coming months.
