Before Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chairman DK Shivakumar also met Kharge at his residence.
Post Date – 12:40 PM, Wednesday – 5/17/23
Photo: IANS
New Delhi: Siddaramaiah arrived at Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Wednesday for the meeting, a day after meeting outgoing Karnataka Assembly Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Congress Chairman Mallikarjun Kharge.
Siddaramaiah, who is said to be the frontrunner for the state chief minister post, arrived at the meeting on 10 Janpath.
According to party sources, the meeting, dubbed a courtesy meeting, was the first since the party’s resounding victory in Karnataka.
Former chief minister Siddharamayah held talks with Hager on Tuesday night. Siddaramaiah arrived in the capital on a special flight on Monday afternoon.
Before Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chairman DK Shivakumar also met Kharge at his residence. Shivakumar arrived in Delhi on Tuesday afternoon after canceling Monday’s trip due to a stomach infection.
According to party sources, Kharge is likely to announce the new Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday after discussing the observer’s report with UPA president Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi.
On Tuesday afternoon, Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal and Karnataka state chief Randeep Singh Surjewala held lengthy discussions with the party chairman to decide on the new Karnataka chief minister. The meeting of senior congressional leaders lasted more than an hour and a half.
Party sources had said on Monday night that the Congress president would decide on the next CM of Karnataka after discussing the secret ballot results with UPA president Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi is currently in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
All three observers presented reports to Harga on Monday, and the meeting of party leaders lasted more than five hours.
Senior leaders Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are vying for the top job.
Although Siddaramaiah secured a majority in the secret ballot, Shivakumar was unwilling to budge, sources said. He claims he has brought victory to the party and thus deserves the post of chief minister.
Congress won 135 seats in Karnataka, while the ruling BJP won only 66 seats and the JD(S), hoping to play the role of kingmaker, was reduced to 19 seats.
