India

DK Shivakumar Vs Siddaramaiah: Who Will Mallikarjun Kharge Pick As New Karnataka CM?

May 14, 2023

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In a big development in decision on Karnataka CM face, Congress Legislature Party has unanimously decided to leave the selection of Congress Legislature Party leader to the decision of the AICC President. Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, the claimants to the CM’s post, were present at the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru today.

Updated May 14, 2023 | 09:50 PM IST

Mallikarjun Kharge to pick the next Karnataka CM

New Delhi: Congress Legislature Party today unanimously decided to leave the selection of Congress Legislature Party leader to the decision of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge . Congress leader Randeep Surjewala announced that the party observers will take opinion from each MLA tonight and give the report to the AICC president.

“The Congress Legislature Party unanimously resolves that AICC President is hereby authorised to appoint the new Leader of the Congress Legislature Party”, the one-line resolution read after the CLP meeting.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC in-charge of Karnataka , said, “Siddaramaiah, moved the single-line resolution authorising AICC president to appoint a new leader of CLP party and 135 Cong MLAs proceeded to unanimously approve his resolution. It was endorsed by DK Shivakumar also. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal informed Kharge about the resolutions and Kharge then instructed KC Venugopal that the three senior observers must take individual opinions of each legislature and convey them to the high command.”

Mallikarjun Kharge had deputed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria as observers for CLP election in Karnataka.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, the claimants to the CM’s post, were present at the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru today. After Congress won Karnataka Assembly elections with a comfortable majority, the race for the CM’s post heated up with both the contenders enjoying a considerable clout within the party.

DK Shivakumar vs Siddaramaiah

Both of them have been hoping to get the top job, so much so that rumours of a rift between the two senior leaders started doing rounds way before the state went to polls on May 10. Adding fuel to the fire is the aggressive campaigning by their supporters.

Ahead of the meeting, the supporters of both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah raised slogans for their leaders in the run-up to the huddle. Earlier in the day, a poster war had also erupted between the supporters both leaders. Supporters of both the leaders gathered in large numbers outside Shangri-la Hotel where CLP meeting took place.

While the supporters are not shying away from pitching for their leaders, Shivakumar denied reports of a rift with fellow party leader Siddaramaiah.

“Some people say that I have differences with Siddaramaiah, but I want to clarify that there is no difference between us. Many times I have sacrificed for the party and stood with Siddaramaiah ji. I have given cooperation to Siddaramaiah,” Shivakumar told reporters ahead of the CLP meet today.

Karnataka went to the polls on May 10 for the 224-member state assembly and saw a record polling of 72.68 per cent. According to the Election Commission of India, Congress won 135 seats boosting its own prospects for the electoral battles ahead. BJP managed to win 66 seats. Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) bagged 19 seats. Independents have won two seats while Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha won one seat each.

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