Kharge likely to announce next Karnataka CM tomorrow in Bengaluru: Report

Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar met party president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence separately.

Published on: May 16, 2023, 20:01:44 IST

By HT News Desk

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to announce the name of the next Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday in Bengaluru, news agency ANI reported quoting people familiar with the development. The report came after Kharge met former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and state unit chief DK Shivakumar separately at his residence in New Delhi and discussed the modalities of government formation in the southern state. Kharge will take the final decision after consulting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi. (Also Read | DK Shivakumar meets Kharge after Rahul Gandhi gives his choice for Karnataka CM)

Congress party Karnataka state chief DK Shivakumar, left, and his colleague and senior leader Siddaramaiah, right. (AP)

"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," ANI quoted the sources as saying.

The suspense over the chief minister continues as both frontrunners for the post, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, are said to have dug their heels in for the top post.

Shivakumar told ANI that he would not resort to "backstabbing or blackmail" regardless of the party's decision.

"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.

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Shivakumar later also warned the media against speculative reports on his possible resignation and said he would file a defamation case against news channels for speaking fake news.

"If any channel is reporting that I am resigning from the post, I will file a defamation case against them...Some of them are reporting that I will resign...My mother is my party, I built this party. My high command, my MLAs, my party are there," he told reporters.

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."

The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held election to the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

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HT News Desk
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