The most telling moment of leadership transition in Karnataka on Thursday unfolded not in Raj Bhavan or outside the Congress legislature’s office, but during breakfast inside the chief minister’s residence, where Siddaramaiah gathered senior ministers to personally explain the end of his tenure and urge them to rally behind DK Shivakumar.
By the time the ministers started arriving at Cauvery, Siddaramaiah’s official residence in Bengaluru, the decision had already traveled through party channels in New Delhi. But several leaders present at the closed-door meeting said the Prime Minister chose to address his colleagues himself, and spoke at length about the discussions with the Congress high command and the need for unity during the transfer of power.
Those present included Priyank Karg, KJ George, MP Patel, Ramalinga Reddy, HK Patel and Shivakumar, who entered the residence shortly before the meeting began.
Shivakumar embraced Siddaramaiah soon after his arrival and then bent down to touch his feet before entering the residence. Pictures later released by the Chief Minister’s Office showed Siddaramaiah hugging Shivakumar after the meeting ended.
According to the ministers who attended the meeting, Siddaramaiah informed his colleagues that Shivakumar has been selected as the next chief minister and that the formal transfer will come after the Congress party legislature meeting.
Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Hong Kong Patel summarized the message delivered inside the chamber. “Siddaramaiah said we will make DK Shivakumar the new president,” he told reporters outside the residence.
The ministers said the atmosphere inside the meeting was unusually restrained for a transition that has dominated Karnataka politics for months. Rather than presenting change as a contest decided in favor of one faction, Siddaramaiah repeatedly framed it as a collective decision requiring discipline and cooperation from the party.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said Siddaramaiah spoke “gracefully and emotionally” while recounting his recent meetings with Congress leaders in New Delhi. “He conveyed what happened in New Delhi, that there will be a changing of the guard here. This shows his maturity and clarity,” Rao said.
“In politics, when such situations happen, leaders tend to change the way they talk and become selfish, but Siddaramaiah showed what a great leader he is,” he added.
According to Rao, Siddaramaiah also told the ministers that he intends to remain active in Karnataka politics after leaving office. “He said that he will continue as an MLA for the next two years and will be at the forefront of all political activities,” Rao said.
Rao said the outgoing Prime Minister also tried to allay concerns about divisions within the party after the transition period. “He was clear and told us what the high command said. We are together and we will work together. He said there is no animosity or any mischief. Opposing BJP rule is the challenge ahead of us,” Rao said.
Shivakumar also addressed the gathering, according to the ministers present. Rao said the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the Congress could not approach the upcoming Assembly elections without Siddaramaiah remaining central to the party’s campaign and organisation.
“DK Shivakumar also spoke and said that Siddaramaiah is our leader and if we have to win the 2028 elections, we will not be able to win without him,” Rao said.
Senior Minister Ramalinga Reddy said Siddaramaiah thanked his Cabinet colleagues for their support before informing them of the next steps in the transition process. “He said in the meeting that he was resigning and said he was going to meet the governor,” Reddy said. He added that the Congress Party’s legislative body meeting could be held “in two to three days.”
As ministers began to leave Cauvery, Minister Santosh Lad appeared tearful as he spoke to reporters outside the headquarters as party leaders dispersed from the meeting that officially ended Siddaramaiah’s tenure as Karnataka chief minister.
