Suspense continues over top post in Karnataka

New Delhi: Suspense continued over the candidate for the post of Karnataka Chief Minister, amidst a series of meetings of the Congress top brass. While Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar and former CM Siddaramaiah are the front runners, insiders claim that after observers Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria, majority of the MLAs preferred Siddaramaiah for the top post.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge met Rahul Gandhi at the former’s residence to discuss government formation.

According to sources, the Congress is formulating a plan to make Siddaramaiah the Chief Minister, while Shivakumar will be his deputy and will continue as the state unit’s chief. There will also be only deputy chief minister’s post.

However, the plan to share the Chief Minister’s post on a rotational basis has been shelved after seeing its effects in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Meanwhile, Kharge met all the stakeholders in Karnataka and also sought suggestions from senior functionaries of the party. Now, he is likely to consult former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi before taking the final call. The decision will most likely be announced in Bengaluru, and another round of meetings with stakeholders will likely take place soon.

The Congress is keen to have the swearing in ceremony by Thursday.

Shivakumar reached Delhi on Wednesday, where Siddaramaiah has already set up camp. Before leaving for Delhi, Shivakumar said the Congress is his ‘mother’ and there was no question of resigning from the organisation. In Delhi, Shivakumar met his brother and Lok Sabha MP D.K. Suresh. He also met Kharge in the evening for about forty minutes regarding the government’s formation.

After Shivakumar left Kharge’s residence, Siddaramaiah also met with the Congress president.

Kharge has also held several rounds of talks with Karnataka general secretary Randeep Surjewala and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal. Siddaramaiah also met Surjewala and Venugopal.

Both the CM hopefuls will stay in Delhi today.

Since the past four days, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah supporters having been vouching for their respective leaders to get the top post.

While Shivakumar’s supporters say he is a go-getter and the Congress bagged so many seats in the state under his presidency and is keen on a good show for the Lok Sabha polls, Siddaramaiah’s backers say he is an old war horse and an experienced hand.

While Siddaramaiah is liked by Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal, Shivakumar shares good rapport with Sonia Gandhi. Kharge and Surjewala are in the middle ground.