Bringing the curtain down on a long-standing leadership dispute within the state ruling party, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Thursday morning that he will resign from his post. The significant announcement was made during a breakfast meeting hosted at his official residence, ‘Kaveri’, in Bengaluru, where senior cabinet ministers and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar were present.

Siddaramaiah informed his cabinet colleagues that he will formally tender his resignation at 3:00 PM. He further requested the ministers to extend their support to DK Shivakumar, declaring him as the next Chief Minister of the state.

A graceful transition of power

The breakfast meeting, which featured traditional Kannada dishes like masala dosa, idli, and kesaribath, served as a poignant farewell from the veteran leader who recently completed three years of his second term in office. Ministers present at the gathering described the atmosphere as emotional yet graceful. While some cabinet members broke down in tears following the announcement, Siddaramaiah remained poised, expressing his gratitude to the team for their cooperation during his tenure.

Ahead of the formal discussions, the two top leaders displayed a strong message of camaraderie and unity. Images released from the residence showed DK Shivakumar touching the Chief Minister’s feet to seek his blessings, followed by a warm embrace between the duo. Following the meeting, the state party unit shared these images on social media with a caption emphasizing that unity remains their core strength and public service their eternal commitment.

High command intervention ends long-standing dispute

The decision follows 48 hours of intense consultations in New Delhi with the party’s central leadership, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Media reports indicate that the party high command actively facilitated the transition, offering the outgoing Chief Minister a national role, which includes a Rajya Sabha seat.

As the Governor is currently out of the state on personal matters, Siddaramaiah is expected to hand over his resignation letter to the Governor’s secretary at Raj Bhavan. Following the formal acceptance of the resignation, a Legislature Party meeting will be convened to officially elect Shivakumar as the new leader before the scheduled swearing-in ceremony. Meanwhile, celebrations have already erupted outside Shivakumar’s residence, where supporters gathered to distribute sweets and chant slogans welcoming his upcoming elevation.

The political landscape in Karnataka is witnessing intense developments as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly expressed his unwillingness to accept a Rajya Sabha berth or transition into a national role in New Delhi. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the veteran leader prefers to remain active within state politics and continue his tenure as an MLA rather than shifting his focus to the national capital.

High command pushes for transition

This revelation comes on the heels of marathon high-level meetings convened by the Congress leadership in Delhi to address the ongoing leadership discussions in Karnataka. Insiders state that the party central leadership has backed Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to take over the top post, in line with internal understandings following the 2023 assembly elections.

To facilitate a smooth leadership transition in the state, the high command offered Siddaramaiah a parliamentary seat in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections alongside a prominent national role. However, sources indicate that the Chief Minister has rejected this proposal and requested more time to deliberate on his next steps.

Official stance downplays leadership shift

Publicly, senior party leaders have sought to quell rumors regarding an immediate change of guard. Following a lengthy deliberation at the party headquarters, General Secretary K.C. Venugopal stated to the media that the discussions were exclusively centered around selecting candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council seats in Karnataka. He dismissed reports of an imminent chief ministerial swap as mere speculation.

Siddaramaiah also echoed this sentiment when questioned by journalists, emphatically denying that any leadership changes were debated during the official meeting. Despite these denials, political circles remain abuzz, as the Chief Minister has reportedly met with cabinet ministers and loyalists to discuss the evolving situation before returning to Bengaluru.

The US military launched overnight strikes inside Iran, targeting a military installation and intercepting multiple attack drones near the critical Strait of Hormuz. The operation comes amid intense diplomatic efforts to end a three-month-old war that has severely impacted global energy markets.

According to media reports citing US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, American forces shot down four one-way attack drones. Additionally, a ground control facility located in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas—which was reportedly preparing to launch a fifth drone—was struck. Local residents in Iran reported hearing three distinct explosions east of Bandar Abbas around 1:30 AM local time, prompting the temporary activation of local air defense systems.

Focus on maintaining the ceasefire

US Central Command later confirmed the targeted actions, stating that the intercepted drones posed an immediate threat to American personnel and commercial shipping vessels operating near the strategic waterway. Officials described the intervention as a measured, defensive response aimed strictly at safeguarding international transit routes and preserving the active, yet fragile, ceasefire arrangement.

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital artery for global commerce, accounting for nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments before hostitilies erupted on February 28.

Strains on ongoing diplomatic talks

These recent military developments occurred against the backdrop of sensitive negotiations aimed at formalizing a permanent peace agreement. Earlier this week, the US conducted similar self-defense strikes against vessels allegedly deployed to lay naval mines, drawing sharp condemnation from Tehran, which labelled those actions a breach of the ceasefire.

Diplomatic tensions were further compounded on Wednesday when US President Donald Trump publicly dismissed reports claiming that Iran and Oman would jointly manage shipping operations through the Strait of Hormuz under a proposed peace deal, asserting instead that the international waterway must remain entirely open.