Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to Prabhushankar, Special Secretary to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on May 28. The Governor left for Indore, in Madhya Pradesh on May 27, for personal reasons. He was expected to return on May 28.

Mr. Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that his resignation would be accepted by the governor soon after he returns to Lok Bhavan.

He maintained that it was the responsibility of the governor to accept the resignation once it is submitted and make way for the next chief minister to assume office.

Karnataka politics LIVE

Soon after submitting his resignation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recollected the famous lines of Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar who used to refer to his fans as ‘abhimani devaru’ (fan gods) to express his respect and gratitude to them.

“I am a politician. Constitution is my religion, and voters are my abhimani devaru (fan gods),” the CM said.

He thanked former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and his colleagues in the party for giving him the opportunity to serve as chief minister of Karnataka.

Walk down memory lane

Going down memory lane, he said he was an ‘accidental politician’, with none in the family being in politics. He cited his rural background and recollected his journey in politics, from a member of the taluk panchayat, to minister, Deputy CM, Leader of Opposition, and chief minister (2013-18 and 2023-26).

In 2006, he said senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel (now deceased) got him to meet Sonia Gandhi and enabled his entry to the Congress.

“I have always believed in the ideals of ‘Buddha, Basava and Ambedkar’, and that wealth needs to be redistributed among all sections of society. I believe we need to create an equal society where all sections get equal opportunity. Both governments I have led have strived to ensure equal opportunities.”

He said that the Bhagya schemes of his earlier tenure (2013-18), and the guarantees of the present one, reflect his views on the matter.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has given importance to social justice, said, “Because of lack of equal opportunities, there are inequalities in society. To get rid of it, everyone should get equal opportunities.” Hence, the governments led by him in 2013 and in 2023 had made honest efforts to ensure that everyone in society gets such equal opportunities, he said.

“In 2013, we had given 168 promises, of which we have delivered 158 promises. In the manifesto for 2023, we had over 550 promises, of which we have delivered on 300 of them so far. Apart from that, we had announced five guarantee schemes, on which we have delivered. Till now, we have spent over ₹1.4 lakh crore on guarantee schemes till now.”

He brought up this issue in the press conference to emphasise that the Congress government in Karnataka has made every effort to fulfil its promises, despite claims in some sections of the media about the guarantee schemes depleting the State treasury.

He accused the opposition and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a misinformation campaign against his government with respect to guarantee schemes. Though they said that the guarantee schemes would derail the economy, the State stands number 1 in per capita income, and second in the country in GST collections.

“The rate of growth of India’s GDP is 7.1%, but 8.1% in Karnataka this year. The opposition has alleged I have taken a lot of loans, and the State is mired in debt. But this is a false allegation. I have answered this in the Assembly in my response during the budget session. Never have we crossed the limits imposed by the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002.

‘Finances managed prudently’

He said that finances should be managed within parameters laid down in the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002

For example, he said, a State’s fiscal deficit should be less than 3%, and for Karnataka the figure is 2.85%.

Loans should be less than 25% of a State’s GSPD. The State’s loans add up to ₹30 lakh crore, which is 24.94% of our GSDP, he said.

The third criteria is that a State should be revenue surplus. However, Karnataka is revenue deficit, for which he blamed the previous BJP government, claiming they mismanaged the State’s finances.

Pointing out that the revenue deficit is ₹19,500 crore, he squarely blamed the Union Government for not providing grants amounting to ₹11,495 crore, which was due to Karnataka. Similarly, ₹5,300 crore earmarked for the Upper Bhadra project had not been given by the Centre, he said.

‘Did not pursue power’

In 1978, he became a taluk board member. He became a legislator in 1983. His political career stretching close to 50 years, he claimed, is an open book. He claimed to have never wavered from his principles. “I never pursued power or money. I never aspired to acquire property. I never compromised on my ideology or values,” he said.

“I have never compromised with the issues related to water, land and language of Karnataka. These are the rights of people of the State.” he said.

He said that he owes his career to the Constitution, drafted by a committee chaired by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, which gives equal rights to every Indian. He said that he would not have become a member of the taluk board, a legislator, a minister, Leader of Opposition, Deputy CM, or CM had it not been for the Indian Constitution.

“Till my last breath, I will fight against communal forces, those who try to undermine the Constitution, and against those who prevent equal opportunities for everyone in society,” he said.

He jokingly thanked the mediapersons for tolerating him, and then, on a serious note, thanked them for supporting his work during the course of his career.

He said that he will continue in active politics, work for the people, and undertake any work given to him by the Congress party. “The Congress high command asked me to go to the Rajya Sabha. But with humility, I have told them that I am not interested in national politics, and that I want to continue in State politics,” he said.

Though Deputy Chief Minister and CM-aspirant D. K. Shivakumar was sitting next to him at the press conference, Mr. Siddaramaiah desisted from naming him as the next chief minister. When asked who will be the next CM, he said, “Whoever is chosen by the high command and the Congress legislature party will become the next chief minister.”

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, left, with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Indira Bhavan ahead of consultations with the Congress leadership, in New Delhi on May 26, 2026.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Bengaluru:

“I am not afraid…” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah declared Wednesday, shortly after a trial court said a police case must be filed against him – based on a complaint by activist Snehamayi Krishna – in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority land scam case.

Earlier today the Special Court of the People’s Representatives had directed the state’s Lokayukta to conduct an inquiry and submit a report in three months. The Chief Minister’s response was swift. “I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally.”

However, the activist whose complaint will feed the case against the Chief Minister is not fully satisfied, and has said he wants the investigation to “happen by the CBI only”. “The court said the probe will happen by Lokayukta but, once FIR is filed… we will approach Karnataka High Court,” he declared. 

The Chief Minister will now face an inquiry into claims his wife, Parvathi, was allotted multiple plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere – an exchange that allegedly cost the state losses of at least Rs 4,000 crore – taken for infrastructure projects.

Siddaramaiah has firmly denied the charge; last month he said he had not done anything illegal in a political career spanning four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would absolve him.

This is the second setback to the Congress leader in as many days; on Tuesday the High Court dismissed his challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot sanctioning his prosecution in the MUDA case. Siddaramaiah argued Mr Gehlot did not “apply his mind”, but the court disagreed, ruling the Governor “did apply his mind in abundance”. “No fault in the Governor’s actions,” the court said.

READ | “Governor’s Action As Per Law”: Big Setback For Siddaramaiah

In passing its order, the High Court also rolled back its August 19 order to the trial court – to not take action against the Chief Minister till his petition claiming Mr Gehlot’s action as “illegal” is settled.

After the order Siddaramaiah underlined his confidence in the judicial system and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “revenge politics”, stating, “I believe in the law… The truth will finally win.”

The MUDA land scam row has become a major flashpoint, with the BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal Secular, targeting the ruling Congress and demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation.

On Tuesday, after the High Court’s verdict, the BJP held vociferous protests across the state once again calling on the Chief Minister to quit. The party’s state unit boss, BY Vijayendra, pointed to the court’s ruling and slammed the Congress for saying the allegations are a “political conspiracy”.

READ | “Siddaramaiah Must Quit”: BJP After Chief Minister’s Land Scam Setback

“BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government… the High Court has clearly said the decision by the Governor is correct. The Chief Minister should resign immediately…”

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called the verdict a “slap on the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah”. “The Karnataka High Court has answered all questions that were raised (and now) Siddaramaiah should resign, so an impartial investigation can be conducted by the CBI…”

Ramping up pressure on Siddaramaiah, BJP workers tried to gherao Siddaramaiah’s Bengaluru residence, prompting police – who had been placed on high alert – to take dozens into custody.

The BJP-Congress face-off over the MUDA scam allegations also comes as the two parties go head-to-head in next week’s Haryana Assembly election and the ongoing election in Jammu and Kashmir.

It also drew sharp barbs from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Haryana’s Sonipat this afternoon; Mr Modi referred to the Congress’ Karnataka government and criticised Siddaramaiah.

The Congress, meanwhile, has come out swinging in support of Siddaramaiah. The party has claimed a “conspiracy” against its Chief Minister, pointing to corruption allegations that have landed other opposition leaders – including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – in jail.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka HC dismisses petition by CM Siddaramaiah challenging Governor’s sanction for his prosecution in alleged MUDA scam.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “I am telling you again, there is no setback to the CM. It is a big conspiracy on all our leaders,… pic.twitter.com/VpLcSWUDyi

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2024

Immediately after the High Court verdict Siddaramaiah’s deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the Congress’ state unit boss, said “there is no question (of the Chief Minister resigning)… he has not done anything wrong and is not involved in any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP…”

Siddaramaiah has also been backed by his ministers, including Priyank Kharge, who is the son of Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, and Ramalinga Reddy, who said his boss is “100 per cent clean”.

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Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has deleted a social media post announcing 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in all Group C and Group D jobs in private companies in the state.

Reservation of jobs in private firms will be capped at 70 per cent for non-management roles and 50 per cent for management-level employees, Labour Minister Santosh Lad clarified simultaneously.

On Tuesday Siddaramaiah had posted the 100 per cent reservation news on X (earlier Twitter).

“The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas mandatory for ‘C and D’ grade posts in all private industries in the state,” he had said.

READ | Karnataka Okays Bill For 100% Quota For Locals In Private Firms

The Chief Minister said it was his government’s wish Kannadigas be given an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in their state and not be deprived of jobs in ‘Kannada land’.

“Fascist, Discriminatory”: Industrialists React

However, the “discriminatory” decision was not well received by business leaders, many of whom said the IT industry, on which Bengaluru (and Karnataka) has made much of its fortune, would suffer.

“This bill is discriminatory, regressive… this is a fascist bill, as in ‘Animal Farm’ (the George Orwell novel),” Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services, had said on X.

Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was more circumspect; she welcomed the proposal but called for “caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy”.

As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy. @siddaramaiah@DKShivakumar@PriyankKhargehttps://t.co/itYWdHcMWw

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 17, 2024

“As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals, we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be a caveat…” she said on X.

Ms Mazumdar-Shaw’s company’s registered office is in Bengaluru’s Electronics City, an 800-acre industrial and technology hub that also has offices of Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and others.

Biocon, a global biopharmaceuticals enterprise, employs over 16,500 people.

RK Misra, co-Chairman of ASSOCHAM Karnataka, called the proposal “short-sighted”.

“Another genius move from Government of Karnataka. Mandate LOCAL RESERVATION and APPOINT GOVT OFFICER IN EVERY COMPANY to monitor. This will scare (companies)… short-sighted,” he said.

“We Will Resolve…” Minister On Jobs Row

Earlier today, after industrialists expressed their concern, Commerce and Industries Minister HB Patil provided reassurance, saying “I have seen that many people have apprehensions… we will resolve this confusion… so that it does not have any adverse effect…” Mr Patil said.

He also pointed out the need for all states, not just Karnataka, to be at their “peak” in a competitive and globalised era of manufacturing and industrial revolution.

“India is experiencing a manufacturing and industrial revolution… In this competitive era, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana are striving to be at their best. It is of utmost importance for all states to be at their competitive peak,” he declared.

The minister said Karnataka could not lose a “once-in-a-century race of industrialisation”.

Karnataka’s Jobs Reservation Proposal

Drafted by the Labour Department, the proposed bill claimed the jobs in question were being given largely to people from the northern states who were then settling in Karnataka. It proposed that Karnataka-based companies benefitting from state-provided infrastructure reserve jobs for locals.

The proposed policy, it is understood, reflected recommendations made by the Sarojini Mahishi Committee, which said large, medium and small-scale industrial units with over 50 workers had to reserve 65 and 80 per cent of Group A and Group B jobs for Kannadigas.

All Group C and Group D jobs would be kept for Kannadigas, the report had said.

However, no policies were formulated regarding these recommendations.

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