New Delhi | Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shortly after Shivakumar met Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly and former chief minister Siddaramaiah also met the party chief at his residence where consultations are on to select the new chief minister. Party sources said the new chief minister would be announced in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Siddaramaiah, who arrived in the national capital on Monday evening in a special flight, met Kharge at his residence here on Tuesday.
He met Kharge at around 5 pm after Shivakumar’s meeting with the party chief. Siddaramaiah reached Kharge’s residence at 6.15 pm.
Prior to the meeting of the two leaders with Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary (organization) K.C. Venugopal and the party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala held a meeting with the party chief for over one and a half hours to decide on the new Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Party sources had said on Monday night that Congress chief Kharge would take a decision on Karnataka’s next chief minister after discussing the result of the secret ballot with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi is currently in Shimla.
On Monday, the three observers from Karnataka submitted their reports to Kharge and the meeting of the party leaders lasted for over 5 hours.
Siddaramaiah arrived in the national capital on Monday afternoon in a special flight, while Shivakumar did not come on Monday due to a stomach infection. He reached the national capital on Tuesday afternoon. Before leaving for Delhi from Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the party was a “god” for him.
Shivakumar said, “Our house is united. We are 135 in number and I am the state party president. The Congress party is my temple. The party is like a mother, I have done my job well.”
Shivakumar said, “God and Mother know what to give to children. I am going to the temple to meet my God. I am going alone. The general secretary had asked me to come there alone.”
Veteran leaders Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are vying for the top post in the state.
Sources said that despite Siddaramaiah getting a majority, Shivakumar is not ready to bow down. He is claiming that he led the party to victory, so he deserves the chief minister’s post.
The Congress has won 135 seats in Karnataka, while the ruling BJP managed to win 66 seats, while the JD-S, which was expected to play the role of kingmaker, was reduced to 19 seats in the state.
