Bengaluru, May 28: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to the Governor’s Secretary on Thursday. He stated that the decision regarding the next Chief Minister will be made by the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) and the party’s high command. Siddaramaiah emphasized that his resignation was entirely voluntary and that he faced no pressure to step down.
During a press conference, he was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister G. Parameshwara. When asked about the next Chief Minister, Shivakumar refrained from commenting and greeted the media with folded hands.
Siddaramaiah revealed that during discussions with the Congress high command in Delhi, he was offered a role in national politics and a position in the Rajya Sabha, which he politely declined. “I told the high command that I have no interest in national politics. I want to remain active in Karnataka politics. The public elected me for five years, and I have two years left in my term. Until then, I will continue to serve the people of the state,” he stated.
He clarified that the Congress leadership did not force him to resign. “I will remain active in politics. I resigned voluntarily. The next Chief Minister will be chosen by the legislative party and approved by the high command,” he added.
Siddaramaiah expressed gratitude to his cabinet colleagues and party leaders for their support during his two terms. He noted that he never entered politics for wealth or property, describing his public life as an open book.
Reflecting on his political journey, he mentioned, “I entered politics nearly 50 years ago. I never imagined I would become an MLA, minister, Chief Minister, or opposition leader. My family was distant from politics, and I came into it by chance.”
He credited the thoughts of Gautam Buddha, Basavanna, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Mahatma Gandhi for shaping his political ideology. He affirmed his deep faith in the Constitution and principles of social justice.
Siddaramaiah highlighted his government’s serious efforts in implementing social empowerment and welfare schemes. He claimed that the Congress government fulfilled all five of its guarantee schemes, spending approximately ₹1.40 lakh crore on them.
Responding to opposition criticism, he stated that there were claims that the guarantee schemes would deplete the state’s treasury, which did not happen. He asserted that Karnataka ranks first in per capita income and second in GST collection in the country.
He mentioned that Karnataka’s projected economic growth rate for 2026-27 is 8.1%, surpassing the national GDP growth rate of 7.4%. Addressing allegations of increasing state debt, he clarified that Karnataka’s fiscal deficit stands at 2.95%, within the permissible limit of 3%. He also noted that the state’s total debt is limited to 24.94% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is below the allowed threshold of 25%.
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