Karnataka chief minister: After a thumping win inKarnataka, the Congress is now faced with a battle within. Who will be the chief minister? DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah have never shied away from expressing their aspirations for the top post. This has raised fears of an unpleasant stand-off within the party if the matter isn’t resolved.
The Congress has called a meeting of its MLAs this evening to discuss the tricky issue of who becomes the chief minister after they secured a resounding victory in the Karnataka assembly elections on May 13.
No final decision today
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar has scheduled the meeting at 6 pm at Shangri-La Hotel in Bengaluru. In the meeting the Congress Legislative Party is expected to pass a resolution leaving it to the Congress national president to decide the chief minister pick.
According to information, the party will not take a final decision today, but views of all MLAs will be ascertained.
DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister and leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah have both been vocal about their aspirations for the top post. Reports said DK Shivakumar had gone to a temple with his family and brother, Congress MP from Bangalore Rural DK Suresh, to pay his gratitude. The temple is 120 km away from the state capital.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah supporters have put up a poster outside his residence in Bengaluru, referring to him as “the next CM of Karnataka”.
Kharge to meet Sonia today
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has gone back to Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi this afternoon. He won’t be present at today’s meeting in Bengaluru.
Murmurs of infighting were felt when DK Shivakumar reacted strongly to a comment by Siddaramaiah’s son yesterday that he should occupy the post again. “The High Command will decide,” said Shivakumar.
After the result were declared on May 13, Shivakumar, 61, broke down speaking about fulfilling his promise to the Gandhis. He also said he had not slept for three years, ever since he made the promise.
“I assured Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge that I will deliver Karnataka. I can’t forget Sonia Gandhi coming to meet me in jail,” said the emotional Congress leader.
On who would be Chief Minister, he said: “The Congress office is our temple. We will decide our next step at the Congress office.”
Unlike Siddaramaiah, Mr Shivakumar has always been a Congressman and has not lost a single election since his first electoral victory in 1989.
Siddaramaiah, 75, has repeatedly said this is his last electoral contest, hoping, perhaps, that the Congress will consider this while making its choice.
Opponents of Siddaramaiah in the Congress consider him still the “outsider”, an import from another party.
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