New Delhi: The long wait for Karnataka’s new chief minister continued on Monday with both the aspirants -- state unit chief D.K. Shivakumar and former CM Siddaramaiah -- flexing their muscles. Sources say that Mr Siddaramaiah is the choice of the majority of MLAs after a secret vote took place amongst the MLAs by the central observers on Sunday night. A formal announcement is expected soon after a consultation with the Gandhis.
Mr Siddaramaiah was the first to reach the national capital on Monday. Before coming to Delhi he made it clear that he was confident of becoming the chief minister once again as he had the support of a majority of the MLAs . However, Mr Shivakumar cancelled his plans to travel to Delhi citing a stomach bug and stayed back in Bengaluru. He is expected to come to Delhi on Tuesday.
Mr Shivakumar also made it clear that he deserves the top post as he was the state unit chief under which the Congress secured a clear majority in the state. He further added that nobody can take away his strengths. He said: “I believe in one thing -- a single man with courage makes a majority. I’ve proved it. I don’t want to disclose what all has happened in the last five years. I’ll disclose it in future. I am a single man, I believe in one thing that a single man with courage makes a majority. I have proved it.”
Both the aspirants are expected to have detailed meetings on Tuesday with the Gandhis as well as with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. AICC general secretary in charge of the state Randeep Singh Surjewala will also play a key role in an amicable formula.
The AICC observers deputed for Karnataka -- Sushilkumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria -- met Mr Kharge in Delhi after speaking individually to all the newly elected MLAs after dinner at a private hotel in Bengaluru on Sunday night and completed the process late at night. The MLAs were also asked to vote for their candidate. The observers also have sent their report. Randeep Surjewala and AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal were also present.
At the legislature party meeting in Bengaluru, the newly elected MLAs had passed a one-line resolution authorising Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to choose the CM candidate. The supporters of both D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah shouted slogans outside the Bengaluru hotel where the meeting took place.
The party is also working on several permutations and combinations over power-sharing in the state. The power-sharing formula of rotational CMs has been comprehensively rejected by key players as they have the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh examples in front of them. Sources say that former chief minister Siddaramaiah is the front-runner and there may be only one deputy chief minister – that is D.K. Shivakumar, who will also continue as state unit president, though the Shivakumar camp is aggressively pushing for him to become the next CM. Clarity on the issue is expected soon as the swearing-in is expected to take place on Thursday.
