Congress President Kharge likely to announce next K’taka CM tomorrow in Bengaluru: Sources

NEW DELHI: As Congress is still deliberating on the selection of Karnataka’s next chief minister, the sources said that party president Mallikarjun Kharge will announce the name for the top post on Thursday in Bengaluru.

According to sources, Kharge will take the final decision after consulting UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party President Rahul Gandhi.
“No Final decision has been made on the Karnataka CM post yet. Congress president has met all the stakeholders. Congress President has met all the stakeholders. Now the final decision will be taken by him in consultation with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. The announcement can be delayed until tomorrow and the announcement can be made in Bengaluru itself,” said sources.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held meetings with both the potential candidates DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in New Delhi.

After the meeting with Shivakumar, Mallikarjun Kharge held consultations with Siddaramaiah.

Siddaramaiah came to Kharge’s residence along with his son Yatindra and MLAs Zameer Ahmad, Bhyrati Suresh, and senior leader KJ George.
Despite Congress’ clear mandate in the Karnataka assembly polls, suspense over the chief minister continues as senior leaders DK Shivakumar, who is the Karnataka Congress’ president, and Siddaramaiah, former chief minister and leader of the opposition are in the race.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met party president Mallikarjun Kharge who is set to make his decision after going through the Congress central observers’ report, which was submitted on Monday.

However, Shivakumar who had earlier cancelled his visit to the national capital on Monday evening citing health issues, arrived in Delhi on Tuesday.
The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held election to the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar, in an exclusive interview with ANI made it clear that he would not resort to “backstabbing or blackmail” regardless of the party’s decision.

Congress state president D K Shivakumar speaking to reporters at his residence before heading to New Delhi on Tuesday.

“If the party wants they can give me the responsibility……. Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” he said.

“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 his departure from 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 expectations as the state party president, Shivakumar said,” I don’t want to comment on what has happened earlier. How it happened. That is a closed chapter we formed the government we lost the government, we lost a coalition government. Who is responsible for the victory and loss there is no use of talking about it now. Let us not sell this story… let us sell the future.” (ANI)