BENGALURU: Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Friday accepted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation.
In a notification issued by Raj Bhavan, Gehlot stated that, in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 164(1) of the Constitution of India, he had accepted Siddaramaiah's resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers headed by him with immediate effect.
The Governor, however, directed Siddaramaiah to continue as Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.
Both Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, who is widely expected to succeed him, are currently in Delhi to meet the Congress high command and discuss the transition of power and formation of the new Cabinet.
At a breakfast meeting hosted at his residence for Cabinet colleagues on Thursday, Siddaramaiah informed Ministers of his decision to step down and stated that Shivakumar would be his successor, as per directions from the Congress high command, according to several Ministers who attended the meeting.
The move follows the Congress high command’s directive asking Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership change in the state, with an offer of a central party role and a Rajya Sabha seat.
Siddaramaiah, however, has not accepted the central role.
Sources indicate that Siddaramaiah decided to step down after a message was conveyed directly by senior party leader Rahul Gandhi.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to Delhi on Tuesday by the party, where back-to-back meetings were held at the Congress headquarters involving Rahul Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.
(With inputs from PTI)