‘CLP meeting will be held at 4 pm on Saturday’: Law minister HK Patil

BENGALURU: Law Minister HK Patil on Friday said the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting will be held on Saturday and asserted that all issues within the party had been resolved following the resignation of Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister.

Patil said the CLP meeting to elect a new leader has been scheduled at 4 pm on May 30 and expressed confidence that the transition in leadership would strengthen the party. “CLP meeting will be held tomorrow (30th May) at 4 pm,” Patil said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: A day after Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Karnataka CM, former Minister HK Patil says, “CLP meeting will be held tomorrow (30th May) at 4 pm.” pic.twitter.com/Yy02e8Uzei

— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2026

Asked whether he aspired to become the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, a minister or Deputy Chief Minister in the new government, Patil said he was not seeking any position and would continue to serve the party in whatever role assigned by the leadership.

“I am not an aspirant for anything. My services are always at the suggestion of high command of the Congress party. I am quite sure, this problem, whatever is there is totally solved and no one is disappointed,” he said.

Patil also maintained that Siddaramaiah’s resignation had strengthened the Congress and highlighted the outgoing Chief Minister’s role in ensuring a smooth leadership transition. “It has strengthened the Congress party now, because it is Siddaramaiah who is taking the lead for all changes and new developments. It is he who is taking leadership,” Patil said.

On Siddaramaiah’s future political role, Patil said the veteran Congress leader had indicated his preference to remain active in Karnataka politics rather than move to national politics.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: On Siddaramaiah’s next steps after resigning as the CM, former Minister HK Patil says, “He is not willing for central politics. Congress party offered him Rajya Sabha, he politely said that he would continue to be in state politics. As of today, that question… pic.twitter.com/KRQpzvVED5

— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2026

“He is not willing for central politics. The Congress party offered him a Rajya Sabha seat, but he politely said that he would continue to be in state politics. As of today, that question is ruled out. But in the Congress party, and also in the state, there will be a position carved out for him,” he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Ajay Singh said Siddaramaiah’s resignation reflected the party’s tradition of adhering to decisions taken by the high command. “This again goes to show that in the Congress party, not only now, but from the very beginning, the High Command is supreme. Like our honorable Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, told, the day the Congress High Command tells me to step down, I would do so,” Singh said.

He said Siddaramaiah had fulfilled his commitment by resigning after receiving directions from the party leadership and subsequently travelled to Delhi to meet Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Singh also indicated that the next Congress Legislature Party meeting would pave the way for the selection of a new Chief Minister. He expressed confidence that Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar would emerge as the leading contender for the post, citing his organisational experience and role in the party’s electoral success in the state.

The remarks came a day after Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister following directions from the Congress high command. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot subsequently accepted the resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, while asking Siddaramaiah to continue as Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made. (ANI)