Bengaluru: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders including Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal are in talks to decide on the new chief minister of Karnataka following the party’s landslide victory in the recently concluded assembly elections in the BJP-ruled southern state. After reaching a consensus, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and former state chief minister Siddaramaiah – the top contenders for the post. The Congress central leadership is expected to announce the name of Karnataka’s next chief minister soon, however, the biggest challenge before the party is to woo Shivakumar and bring him on board.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar also reached the national capital amid intense deliberations by the party’s central leadership to choose a new chief minister for Karnataka.
#Watch , Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar reached Delhi from Bengaluru. He will meet the party high command amid talks to decide the next chief minister of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/tFfmfgJPxB– ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2023
Will not resort to backstabbing, blackmail: Shivakumar
Shivakumar, the frontrunner for the chief minister’s post, had earlier made it clear that he would not resort to backstabbing or blackmail regardless of the party’s decision. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shivakumar said, “If the party wants they can give me the responsibility… We have a joint house, our strength is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Even if they Like it or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail.’
The Karnataka Congress president will meet the party high command before the party’s announcement on the top post. “The party is my God…we have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this,” he said before leaving for Bengaluru. “We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it… A mother will give everything to her child,” he said.
Asked about his hopes as state party president, Shivakumar said, “I don’t want to comment on what happened earlier. How it happened. It’s a closed chapter, we formed the government, we lost the government.” We lost a coalition government.” There is no point in talking about who is responsible for victory and defeat. Let us not sell this story… let us sell the future.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah, another contender for the chief minister’s post, reached the national capital on Monday. Shivakumar, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, has been quarantined in Bengaluru citing a stomach infection. Both he and Siddaramaiah were called by the top AICC leadership to Delhi for discussions. The Congress won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.
Congress observers submitted report to Kharge
The views of the newly elected MLAs were conveyed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge yesterday by the party’s central observers for Karnataka. According to party sources, Kharge will consult Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra before giving the final decision. “The name of the next Chief Minister of Karnataka will be announced in the next 24 hours,” he added.
The Congress Legislature Party met in Bengaluru late on Sunday evening and passed a one-line resolution empowering Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to choose the head of the Legislature Party. Shivakumar said on Monday that all the MLAs are together and the party high command will meet the chief minister.
Speaking to ANI, Shivakumar said, “The party high command will take a call. I don’t want to comment or speak anything more. Whatever I had to say, I have already spoken. I don’t want MLA’s (support). This is for me.” Not important. Ours is Congress block. Number 135 and one more associate member. We are all one and will work together.”
Meanwhile, Congress veteran Siddaramaiah met the top leadership of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) at Lodhi Hotel in Delhi late on Monday night. The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.