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NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah resigned from his post on Thursday after months of speculation, paving the way for his deputy DK Shivakumar for the top post.Prabhu Shankar, special secretary to governor, said, “I have received the resignation of Siddaramaiah (as the CM), but only the Governor can accept it after he returns.” Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot left for his residence in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, earlier today.The development comes hours after Siddaramaiah reportedly informed his cabinet colleagues of his decision to step down during a breakfast hosted at his house.The party had put no stone unturned during the months-long tussle for the CM chair to avert the crisis by ensuring amicable transition of power, which was evident from the photos shared by the Karnataka Congress.In a post shared by the party’s state unit after the breakfast meet, Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar bonhomie photos were shared with the message: “Unity is our strength!”In a series of photos, CM hopeful Shivakumar was seen touching the feet of Siddaramaiah and taking his blessings.The development comes after Congress high command, in a series of meetings in New Delhi, had reportedly asked Siddaramaiah to make way for a leadership change in the state and offered him a national role in the party with a Rajya Sabha seat. As per reports, Siddaramaiah had not immediately accepted the central role.Some sources indicate Siddaramaiah may have decided to step down because the message came directly from the top party leader, Rahul Gandhi. The CM had repeatedly stated that he would step down if the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha asked him to do so.Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were summoned to Delhi on Tuesday by the party, where there were back-to-back meetings at the Congress headquarters involving Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Surjewala.
