Siddaramaiah And DK Shivakumar Meet Congress Chief Kharge, Rahul Joins Discussion On Karnataka CM

Amid suspense over the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, the top claimants Siddaramaiah And DK Shivakumar met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also went to Kharge's residence to hold a 90-minute meeting with him on the subject.

The Congress party ousted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Karnataka in the assembly elections held this month. Of the 224-member assembly, the Congress won 135 seats, reducing the BJP to just 66 seats. While the Congress put up a united front in the campaign, it has not been able to finalise its Chief Minister of Karnataka since the results came out.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge for Karnataka Randeep Surjewala and General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal were also present during the meeting between Kharge and Rahul. Venugopal later separately met Rahul at the latter's residence.

Final decision after meeting with Sonia Gandhi: Sources

Top party leaders were, however, tight-lipped on who was the probable choice for the chief minister's post and by when the decision would be taken.

Sources that discussions could also be held with Sonia Gandhi before the final decision is taken.

Party's spokesperson Pawan Khera said in Hyderabad that a decision on the appointment of the chief minister of Karnataka will be known in a day or two.

He said, "Appointing a chief minister is not an easy thing. It cannot be imposed from Delhi... Everybody's view has to be taken into consideration. We have to engage with every stakeholder and then decide who the chief minister will be.

"The process is on. The observers have already gone there, met the MLAs. The MLAs have given their opinions. Now, the opinions have gone, all the record has gone to the central leadership. So, in a day or two you will know the answer."

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar's meetings in Delhi

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has been camping in the national capital since Monday, met Kharge a little after 6 pm and the two leaders discussed various issues related to Karnataka government formation. The meeting lasted over an hour.

Siddaramaiah later drove to Venugopal's residence for a meeting.

Karnataka PCC president Shivakumar arrived in the national capital from Bengaluru and drove straight to his brother's residence. He later met Kharge around 5 PM and the meeting between the two lasted around half an hour.

Shivakumar, who is one of the top contenders for the state chief minister's post, earlier said the party is his mother and there was no question of his resigning from the organisation.

"We have built this party. No question," he said when asked about reports that he may resign from the party if not given the chief minister's post.

"If any channel is reporting that I am resigning from the post, I will file a defamation case against them," he said.

On whether he will also meet Rahul Gandhi, the Karnataka leader said, "I have to meet all leaders. First, I have to meet my Congress president."

"My high command is there, my party is there, our MLAs are there - 135," Shivakumar said, as he left the residence of his brother and Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh.

Suresh said that since the party has won under his (Shivakumar's) leadership as Pradesh Congress chief, he had the right to stake his claim on the top post.

He had earlier met Kharge on Monday evening at the latter's residence after Shivakumar cancelled his visit to Delhi on Monday citing health issues.

The various claimants to Karnataka's CM post

Both Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah are staking a claim on the top post and their supporters have been indulging in hectic lobbying.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader G Parameshwara also threw his hat in the ring saying he is ready to take up the responsibility if the party high command asks him to run the government.

The former state Congress president said, the high command is aware of his service to the party and he doesn't feel the need to lobby for the post.

"If the high command decides and asks me to run the government, I'm ready to take up the responsibility," the former deputy chief minister told reporters in Bengaluru.

"I have faith in the party high command. I have certain principles. I can also take about 50 legislators and do the shouting, but for me the discipline of the party is important.... if the high command gives me the responsibility, I will take it up. I have not said I won't," he said.

"They (high command) too are aware that I have worked for the party, served it for eight years (as KPCC President) and brought it to power (in 2013).... I feel there is no need for me to ask for the post or lobby for it, and I'm quiet. That doesn't mean I'm incapable, I'm capable and if given an opportunity will do the job," he added.

The newly-elected MLAs in Karnataka had on Sunday passed a one-line resolution authorising party chief Kharge to appoint the legislature party leader, who will be the new chief minister.

Kharge earlier held discussions with party leaders from Karnataka and the three observers appointed by him to oversee the Congress Legislature Party meeting held in Bengaluru on Sunday.

The three central observers - Sushilkumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria - had met all Congress MLAs individually and sought their views on who would be their choice of chief minister.

They also held a 'secret ballot' on their choice for chief minister. The observers discussed the findings of their report and handed it over to Kharge on Monday night.

(With PTI inputs)