K’taka Elections: Cong Legislative Party Defers Choosing Party Leader, Leaves Decision to AICC President

Bengaluru: The Congress legislative party (CLP) in Karnataka has passed a resolution authorising AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge to designate the leader of the legislative party. The one-line resolution was passed unanimously at the conclusion of the CLP meeting in Bengaluru. It is expected that the decision will put an end to speculations on who among the possible frontrunners, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, will become CM.

Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are expected to head to Delhi along with the three observers appointed by Mallikarjun Kharge — Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh, and Deepak Babaria. The observers will take a verbal opinion from every Congress MLA and submit a detailed report to Kharge in Delhi.

After a thumping win in the Karnataka election, the grand old party is now left with the responsibility of deciding who will be the next chief minister in the state. Supporters of both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah were seen sloganeering for their favourites outside Shangri La Hotel in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, posters were seen outside Siddaramaiah’s residence claiming he will be the chief minister of Karnataka. Winning 135 seats in the 224-constituency assembly, Congress made a massive victory in Karnataka. It came to power again after 10 years, making BJP lose the only southern state it was able to reign.