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‘Nothing decided yet’: DK Shivakumar stays tight-lipped on Karnataka CM post, defers decision to CLP meeting
“Everything is happening as requested by the high command. Nothing has been decided,” Shivakumar said.
Congress leader and deputy chief minister of Karnataka DK Shivakumar on Friday asserted that no decision had been made regarding the chief ministerial post in the state.
After Siddaramaiah resigned as the Karnataka CM on Thursday, speculations regarding his successor arose, with some leaders floating Shivakumar's name for the role.
However, Shivakumar downplayed the possibility, highlighting that the decision would be taken by the high command at the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting which had been convened on Saturday.
Also Read | Congress brass to discuss Karnataka govt structure post-leadership transition
“Everything is happening as requested by the high command. Nothing has been decided. Tomorrow we have called the CLP meeting, our central leaders have to come. We have to discuss with our high command,” the former deputy CM said, adding that all Karnataka Congress MLAs had also been requested to be present in Bengaluru. “Apart from that, nothing else is there,” Shivakumar added.
Siddaramaiah had, after tendering his resignation, said he had resigned “voluntarily”, adding that there was no external pressure on him.
Karnataka CLP meeting on Saturday: What do we know?
The Karnataka Congress legislature party meeting has been called on Saturday (May 30), with a new leader set to be elected, PTI news agency reported citing party sources.
The meeting will be held at the conference hall in Vidhana Soudha at 4 pm, according to a letter sent by the legislature party secretary Allamprabhu Patil to all legislators.
Top Congress leaders are expected to discuss the structure of the Karnataka government, the composition of the new council of ministers, Cabinet berths, allocation of key portfolios, the balance between factions within the state unit, and possible organisational changes to manage competing interests post-leadership transition. The meeting will be chaired by Siddaramaiah, with Shivakumar, AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala, and leader of the house in the legislative council N S Boseraju expected to attend.
Also Read | Siddaramaiah's exit ends Karnataka stalemate, focus shifts to DK Shivakumar
‘Looks like DK Shivakumar will be…’
Former Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa on Friday touted the possibility of DK Shivakumar taking the position of the new chief minister in the state, ANI news agency reported.
Bangarappa said the transition would be “smooth”, lauding the high command and former CM Siddaramaiah on handling 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 DK Shivakumar will be, you know, that Congress Legislative Party is there, then after that, then so on, the procedure will start,” the former minister added.
