New Delhi/Bengaluru: Caretaker Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi following his resignation from the CM’s post.
Siddaramaiah received a warm welcome from Rahul Gandhi during the meeting. After greeting Siddaramaiah with a handshake, Rahul Gandhi hugged him and posed for photographs.
The meeting comes amid major political developments in Karnataka after Siddaramaiah stepped down as Chief Minister on Thursday. He has, however, been asked to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until new arrangements are made.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah thanked Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership for giving him the opportunity to serve as Chief Minister for two terms and enabling him to become one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers in Karnataka’s history, with nearly eight straight years in office.
Sources added that the discussions also focused on the future political roadmap for the Congress party in Karnataka and the transition of leadership in the state.
Following his meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah held discussions with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Former state ministers K.J. George and Priyank Kharge, along with Legislative Council member Yathindra Siddaramaiah, were also present during the discussions.
However, details of the meeting were not immediately disclosed.
After the meeting, Kharge, taking to social media X, stated, “Siddaramaiah’s public life has consistently reflected dignity, compassion, and a deep commitment to social justice.
From humble beginnings to serving Karnataka twice as Chief Minister, he remained steadfast in his commitment to equality, harmony, and the welfare of the marginalised.
Karnataka and the Congress party remain grateful for his contribution to public life. Wishing him good health and the very best in his continued service to the people.”
Former minister and Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao hailed Siddaramaiah as a towering leader who always stood for the poor and the oppressed, saying power and position were never important to him.
In a statement issued after Siddaramaiah’s resignation, Rao said the Congress leader had demonstrated his commitment to party discipline and ideology by stepping down in accordance with the party high command’s decision.
“Siddaramaiah is a strong leader who rises above political ideologies and constantly responds to the concerns of the oppressed and the poor. By resigning from the Chief Minister’s post while remaining fully committed to the party high command and its decisions, he has proved that he is not a leader attached to power or position, but a statesman who bows to party discipline and principles,” he said.
Recalling Siddaramaiah’s welfare initiatives, Rao said the former Chief Minister personally understood poverty and hunger, and with the vision of building a “hunger-free Karnataka”, introduced the landmark Anna Bhagya scheme, which later became a “model for the entire country”.
“He earned a permanent place in people’s hearts as ‘Annaramayya’ by ensuring food security for lakhs of families across the state,” he stated.
Rao further said that during his tenure as Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Siddaramaiah had reposed faith in him and entrusted him with the responsibility of successfully implementing the historic scheme.
He also recalled Siddaramaiah recently inaugurating the state’s “108 Centralised Command and Control Centre”, introduced by the Health Department to ensure timely healthcare services reached even the last person in society.
“That turned out to be the final official public programme he attended as Chief Minister, which now feels deeply emotional. Until his very last moment in office, his administration remained committed to the health and welfare of ordinary people,” Rao said.
Praising Siddaramaiah’s governance, Rao said the former Chief Minister never compromised against communal forces and successfully implemented the Congress government’s five guarantee schemes, reflecting his commitment to fulfilling promises made to the people.
He dismissed opposition allegations that the government had pushed Karnataka into a debt crisis, calling them “mere political gimmicks far removed from reality”.
“In his long political career, Siddaramaiah has shown what it means to live as a true socialist, and his life remains an inspiration for all of us,” he added.
Rao further expressed hope that Siddaramaiah would remain active in politics even after resigning as Chief Minister to ensure that governance based on peace, communal harmony and social justice continues in Karnataka.
IANS
