BENGALURU: Critics could say Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s era in power politics has come to an end with him resigning from the top post, but given his illustrious political career spanning nearly half a century, he will continue to have a sway over state politics. Rejecting the Rajya Sabha seat offer by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is a testimony to his political acumen as he realised the limitations it would put him under.
The 77-year-old AHINDA -- Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits -- champion won a nickname for himself as ‘annaramaiah’ during his first tenure as CM (2013-2018) for implementing the free food grains scheme and ‘guarantee ramaiah’ in his second innings for implementing the five guarantees.
But controversies surrounded him as during his first tenure, he was accused of the Arkavathy Layout land denotification and Hublot watch scams. He had received the expensive wristwatch from a businessman. Despite these allegations, he survived to complete the full five years of his term.
The issue of change in leadership came up several times, but with the strong backing of the party high command, he could shake off any such threat, his close associates said.
But his second term of three years and eight days was more stormy as attempts were made by those within the party and the opposition to dethrone him. Over the MUDA sites allotment involving his wife Parvathy, the opposition BJP and JDS had taken out a campaign and held a rally on his home turf Mysuru.
As his rivals within Congress too were baying for his blood, the party high command, including Rahul stood firm behind him. Senior Supreme Court lawyers Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal came to his rescue, while his wife surrendered the sites to MUDA, giving him a big political relief.
The high command waited for him to complete half of the five-year term to ask him to hand over power to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as part of an agreement arrived at after the party came to power in 2023. When he expressed his wish to continue as CM, Shivakumar started exerting pressure on the high command since November 2025 that led to recurring tussle over power sharing.
Siddaramaiah’s sympathisers attribute the feeling that his second term not being as effective as the first to more power centres within the ruling dispensation. But the high command took note of his alleged failure in handling the alleged multi-crore scam in Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, where B Nagendra resigned as minister. Siddaramaiah’s another aide and minister KN Rajanna was dismissed from the party for criticising Rahul’s vote chori campaign against BJP.
After the Davanagere South bypoll, his political secretary Naseer Ahmed was also sacked for alleged anti party activities. That Siddaramaiah could not rescue his supporters was a clear indication that the high command had made up its mind over transfer of power. An internal report on anti-incumbency that was cropping up and alleged maladministration damaging the image of the government and the party shocked the high command, forcing it to say “enough is enough” and go for a change, sources said.
Now, with power out of his hands, it will be interesting to see how challenging it will be for him to remain relevant in state politics by safeguarding the interests of his supporters. Since joining Congress in 2006, he continued to be in one or the other power posts, including two times as leader of opposition in Assembly and twice as CM, making him the most-successful politician in contemporary state politics, analysts said.
As Karnataka’s two other contemporary mass leaders -- JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, who have sway over Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva Lingayats, Siddaramaiah continues to have an influence over the state’s third largest Kuruba community. Like the other two leaders, Siddaramaiah too realised that his mooring is in state politics.
Outgoing CM Siddaramaiah, after submitting his resignation to the special secretary to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday, left for New Delhi to meet the Congress central leadership. “After his return from Delhi on May 26, Siddaramaiah took the decision to resign after confirming with the party high command.
Thereafter, he didn’t take time to decide. Today, after resigning, he left for Delhi to meet the high command leaders to inform them that as directed by them, he has put in his papers. It is the Congress protocol and Siddaramaiah is following it. He will also discuss Cabinet formation, MLC elections and Rajya Sabha nominations with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi,” sources told TNIE. “Siddaramaiah by resigning has gained stature. The party high command will take him into confidence and consider his suggestions,” added sources.
