The Congress party has yet to choose its chief ministerial face in the wake of a significant victory in Karnataka, but it is poised to do so today.
As the Congress high command is yet to make an announcement following a significant victory in the southern state on Saturday, the race to become Karnataka’s next chief minister remained in uncertainty on Tuesday. Senior politicians Siddaramaiah, the former chief minister and leader of the opposition, and DK Shivakumar, the president of the Karnataka Congress, are competing for the role of chief minister.
After postponing his visit yesterday due to a stomach infection, KPCC chief DK Shivakumar is likely to fly to Delhi today to meet with the party’s national leadership. Following a lengthy Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, party officials decided to delegate the selection of the next chief minister of Karnataka to Mallikarjun Kharge.
After speaking with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and reviewing the report from the Congress central observers, which was submitted yesterday, Kharge is prepared to make his judgement. Today, he’s anticipated to reveal a name.
As supporters of both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar established camps of their own and raised the chants in a show of strength, Karnataka has been witnessing factionalism inside the party. However, both the leaders have dispelled rumours of a widening breach and presented a unified face.
The Congress party emerged as the single largest party and provided the state with a clear mandate after winning 135 seats in the Karnataka assembly election on May 10. The Janata Dal (Secular), a local party, managed to win 19 seats, whereas the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win 66 seats. For the most recent information, see our live blog.
