Siddaramaiah Resigns as Karnataka Chief Minister — D.K. Shivakumar Set to Succeed
Summary
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation on May 28, 2026, following directions from the Congress high command, completing three years of a power-sharing arrangement with Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar.
●Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot formally accepted the resignation on May 29, 2026, under Article 164(1) of the Constitution, dissolving the Council of Ministers.
●Siddaramaiah declined an offered Rajya Sabha seat and will continue as Caretaker CM until Shivakumar is sworn in.
●The transition ends a three-year leadership tussle that was a defining feature of Congress's 2023 Karnataka victory — during which both leaders had been summoned to Delhi for back-to-back meetings with Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Federalism & Centre-State
This sub-topic has appeared in 12 UPSC Prelims questions.
Karnataka's Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor under Article 164(1) of the Constitution, which provides that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister.
●When a Chief Minister resigns, the entire Council of Ministers stands dissolved — the CM does not resign in isolation.
●The Governor accepted Siddaramaiah's resignation under Article 164(1) on May 29, 2026, after which Siddaramaiah was asked to continue as Caretaker CM. Karnataka's Governor is Thaawarchand Gehlot (also the Governor at the time of the MUDA scam controversy against Siddaramaiah in 2024). The Congress high command's ability to direct the CM's resignation illustrates the practice of anti-defection and party discipline that operates outside the formal constitutional framework.
Article 164(1B) — inserted by the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 — caps the total number of Ministers (including the CM) at 15% of the total Legislative Assembly strength. Karnataka's 224-seat Assembly sets the cabinet ceiling at 33 ministers.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 1 question
Consider the following statements about constitutional provisions governing State Councils of Ministers:
1. Article 164(1) provides that the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor and other Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the CM's advice.
2. Under Article 164(1B), inserted by the 91st Constitutional Amendment, 2003, the total strength of the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 15% of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly.
3. When a Chief Minister resigns, only the CM vacates office — other Ministers continue in their positions unless they too resign individually.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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