Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar on Wednesday in an effort to finalize the selection of the next Chief Minister of Karnataka following the party’s recent election victory. Despite Siddaramaiah’s supporters celebrating with firecrackers and sweets after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, the suspense surrounding the Chief Minister’s post has persisted for the fourth consecutive day. Randeep Singh Surjewala, another Congress leader, stated that a decision could take an additional 48 hours, with another 24 hours needed for the cabinet announcement. Reliable sources suggest that Siddaramaiah, 75, is the leading candidate for the role due to his extensive support among MLAs, while the focus now lies on convincing Mr. Shivakumar, 61, to endorse the decision.
During his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar reportedly indicated that he would not back down in the standoff with Siddaramaiah. Later, he met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Siddaramaiah, who has been in Delhi since Monday, met with senior Congress leaders amid speculation that he is the frontrunner for the top post. However, he remained uncertain about the timing of the announcement, stating, “Let’s wait and see. I don’t know.” Shivakumar emphasized that he does not foresee a rebellion even if he is not given the position, emphasizing his commitment to party unity and ruling out backstabbing or blackmail.
The party’s leadership has been informed of the preferences of the newly elected MLAs by a team of observers deployed to the state. The decision they make is expected to have a significant impact on the party’s prospects in the upcoming general elections. Choosing either Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar could lead to alienation within the party and their respective support bases. Shivakumar’s selection may affect the support of the Vokkaliga community, a politically crucial group, while Siddaramaiah’s appointment could impact the MLAs backing him and the AHINDA platform, which represents minorities, Other Backward Classes, and Dalits and has historically supported the Congress.
The Lingayat community, which holds political significance, has also expressed its desire for the Chief Minister’s post. The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, a Lingayat organization, wrote a letter to Mallikarjun Kharge, highlighting that 34 out of the 46 Lingayat leaders fielded by the Congress have emerged victorious.
Political analysts had predicted the complex situation well in advance of the recent assembly elections, where the Congress secured a clear majority with 135 seats in the 224-member assembly.
Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Meets Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar as Karnataka CM Decision Lingers
