Karnataka CM News LIVE: Name to Be Announced in Next 72 Hours, Says Congress; 50-50 Formula Decided?

Senior Congress leader  Randeep Surjewala said that the speculation that are going on over selection of next Karnataka CM should stop and that the party has authorised Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint the new leader of Karnataka.

“Karnataka will either gets its new CM today or tomorrow. We will have the new leader of Karnataka in next 24 to 48 hours and will soon have first cabinet meeting,” said the leader.

Supporters of Congress leader Siddaramaiah pour milk on his poster and chant slogans for him outside his residence in Bengaluru, even as the suspense over Karnataka CM race continues.

As per sources, these are the possible outcomes:

1 – Siddaramaiah to become CM 2 – Shivakumar to become Dy CM 3 – DK Shivakumar to remain KPCC chief for Lok Sabha Polls 4 – DK Shivakumar to take over as CM after 2.5 years

Supporters of senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah were seen celebrating and bursting firecrackers ahead of the decision on Karnataka CM post, for which he is a top contender.

Basavaraj Bommai, outgoing Karnataka CM & BJP leader, said: “Congress is yet to finalise its CM candidate in spite of getting a majority. This shows the internal situation in the party. The aspirations of people are more important than politicking. Congress should choose a CM as soon as possible.”

Former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi told Shivakumar that sacrifices and loyalty will not go unrewarded. DKS was in Delhi to meet Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.

The Surpeme Court has deferred hearing in a plea filed by Central Bureau of Investigation against Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in the disproportionate assets case. The hearing has been postponed on the request of Abhishek Manu Singhvi on behalf of DK Shivakumar.

Karnataka chief ministerial aspirant Siddaramaiah on Wednesday met Rahul Gandhi amid hectic parleys in the party to name its chief minister face in the southern state.

The meeting comes a day after Siddaramaiah met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and held discussion with him over government formation. Karnataka Pradesh Congress chief D K Shivakumar is also likely to meet Rahul Gandhi later in the day.

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are claimants to the top post in Karnataka after the party wrested the state from the BJP.

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the BJP for criticising it over the delay in deciding the chief minister of Karnataka, and cited examples when the BJP declared its chief ministers in Uttar Pradesh and Assam several days after winning the polls.

“Just to refresh memories of PM’s drum-beaters especially. 2017 UP Vidhan Sabha election results out on March 11th. Yogi appointed CM 8 days later on March 19th.

2021 Assam Vidhan Sabha election results out on May 3rd. Himanta Biswa Sarma became CM 7 days later on May 10th,” AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter.

“There are many more such examples,” he also said.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah has given list of MLAs who are with him and that most of SC Muslims voted for him. He has also given a region-wise break up.

Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar to meet party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi today.

Touted as the “third contender” in the chief minister post race in Karnataka for which DK Shivakumar and Siddamaraiah are the top two probables, Congress leader G Parameshwara said he will not ferry lawmakers with him to mount pressure on the party’s high command to get the top job.

“I have faith in the high command. I have some principles. I can also take some 50 MLAs, shout and all that. But party discipline is more important to me,” Deccan Herald quoted Parameshwara, a Dalit, as saying.

G Parameshwara’s supporters have been protesting with their demand before the Congress to see the leader as Karnataka CM.

According to experts, to defuse the tension over CM’s post, Congress might offer split terms to both the leaders. There are, however, more meetings lined up through the day to decide on the CM’s post.

Two frontrunners for the Karnataka CM post- DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah- met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi on Tuesday and expressed their views on who should head the government in the state where the party registered a landslide victory in the assembly elections.

According to sources, Shivakumar said he has no problem if Kharge becomes the chief minister. However, he said if he is not given the CM post then he will sit as an MLA in the assembly and he is not open to any other offer.

Shivakumar also informed Kharge about Siddaramaiah’s mistakes since 2006, the year when the former CM joined the Congress. Shivakumar said Siddaramaiah was the Leader of the Opposition twice and served a full five-year term as the chief minister. Read More

Protestors backing Congress leader G Parameshwara staged a demonstration in Tumkuru, demanding that he be appointed as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Currently, G Parameshwara is the third aspirant for the post, with Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar being the primary contenders for the position.

Another round of meeting with DK Shivakumar is likely to happen around 10am today, which may work as the deciding factor for the party.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, the former party chief, also paid a visit to Kharge’s residence, where they held a lengthy meeting lasting over 90 minutes. Their conversation revolved around the chief ministership and the process of establishing a government in Karnataka, following the remarkable victory of the Congress in the May 10 assembly elections, where they secured 135 out of 224 seats.

As Congress deliberates on who should be the chief minister of Karnataka, party state president DK Shivakumar, one of the frontrunners for the post in the southern State on Tuesday said that he would file a defamation case against the media channels which are making false claims over his resignation.

“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,” Karnataka Congress President told the reporters.

Amid Congress’ ongoing deliberations on the selection of Karnataka’s next chief minister, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain on Tuesday night said that consultations are still on at the national level.

Hussain was leaving from the party chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence here in the national capital after a meeting on Tuesday night. He however told reporters that there was no meeting and that his visit was just a “courtesy call”.

The Congress is continuing its deliberations to choose the Karnataka Chief Minister with both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar persisting with their claims and another round of meetings slated to take place on Wednesday morning to reach a conclusion.

Party sources said UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to reach Delhi on Wednesday from Himachal Pradesh and is expected to meet some leaders who are part of the decision-making process in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi, the former party chief, also paid a visit to Kharge’s residence, where they held a lengthy meeting lasting over 90 minutes.