Siddaramaiah may step down tomorrow: Veteran Congress leader RV Deshpande

NEW DELHI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to step down from his position on Thursday, thereby marking an end to his stint with the post and also bringing curtains down on an unending power tussle in the state.

Veteran Congress leader and nine-time MLA RV Deshpande gave a near-confirmation of Siddaramaiah's exit during an interaction with the media persons on Wednesday.

"This may happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," he said, when newsmen asked him about the likely change of guard in the state. He also said that the news of Siddaramaiah paving the way for the rival camp came as a surprise to many like him, but the matter has been deliberated upon and decided by the Congress high command.

"We tried to persuade him and urged him to continue as the Chief Minister, but that seems unlikely now, as he seems to have made up his mind," Deshpande said.

The disclosures by Deshpande come ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's crucial breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleague on Thursday morning. It is after this breakfast meeting that the CM is likely to announce the power transition. (IANS)

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