‘Looks like DK Shivakumar will be…’: Former minister Madhu Bangarappa on choice of new CM

BENGALURU: Ahead of Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting convened on Saturday regarding the election of Karnataka’s new Chief Minister, former minister Madhu Bangarappa on Friday stressed the possibility of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar taking the position of the new CM of the State.

The development follows the resignation of Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday. Madhu Bangarappa said that the process to elect the new Chief Minister is going smoothly and the decision will be taken after the CLP meeting.

“It is going to be very smooth. You know, really, it’s the greatness of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Though there were a lot of speculations in the media, where a lot of things are going to erupt or something like that, I think the high command and Siddaramaiah have really handled it very well. And then, it’s now the next phase we’ll have to go. And I think that’s it, it’s a high command call. And I think it looks like D.K. Shivakumar will be, you know, that Congress Legislative Party is there, then after that, then so on, the procedure will start,” he said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Minister Madhu Bangarappa says, “It is going to be very smooth. It is the greatness of CM Siddaramaiah. Though there are a lot of speculations in media, I think the high command and Siddaramaiah have handled it very well…It seems that DK… pic.twitter.com/QC2Zshz99D

— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2026

On Shivakumar’s statement, calling himself a disciple of Siddaramaiah, the former minister said that Shivakumar has a very close bond with the outgoing CM.

“That is his gratitude always, you know, he had been with my father since the age of 27. He was made jail minister. And so many times he has said, ‘Bangarappa sir had told, ‘I’m going to make you jail minister because you should become Chief Minister.’ This is the way he remembers my father, and that is the kind of attachment that my father and D.K. Shivakumar had. And I think it’s great, and it’s very nice to hear that, you know, that bonding is there, such a big bonding with my father,” he noted.

Further, he said that the CLP is scheduled to take place on Saturday, after which the high command is expected to make the final decision regarding the new CM of Karnataka.

“CLP is tomorrow. Then after that, they will elect CLP leader, and then as early as possible, I think they’ll get into cabinet formation and oath-taking and all. I think that high command will take a call, we’ll not have any say in that. So, I really don’t want to comment much on that. I think high command will take the call,” he said. (ANI)