The newly-elected MLAs of the Congress party will meet on Sunday evening in Bengaluru to discuss the formation of the new government.
The Congress party emerged victorious in Karnataka assembly elections. The party ousted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government from Karnataka, the only South Indian state where the saffron party has any meaningful presence.
Of the 224 seats in the Karnataka assembly, the Congress won 135. The BJP was reduced to just 66 seats. The Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats.
Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar are front-runners to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Supporters press claims of Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar
Banners have come up in front of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar's residences in Bengaluru, erected by supporters, congratulating them for Congress win and projecting them as "next CM".
The Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting is scheduled to be begin at 5:30 pm and the newly elected have already been instructed to come to Benagluru.
Both the eight-time MLA Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have made no secret of their ambition to become CM and had been involved in a game of political one upmanship in the past.
The Congress had entered the campaign phase with the challenge of keeping at bay the factionalism, especially between the camps of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who had been openly rooting for their leaders, but the party put an united front and ensured that no rift came out in open and derail its prospects, under the mentorship of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Now the task at hand for the Congress central leadership is to complete the process of electing the legislature party leader by taking all factions together.
Troubleshooter vs pan-Karnataka leader
The primary contest for the post of CM is between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
While the 60-year-old Shivakumar is considered to be "troubleshooter" for the Congress party, Siddaramaiah has a pan-Karnataka appeal.
If Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress after being expelled from JD(S), gets elected as the CLP leader, this will be his second stint as the Chief Minister from the party after having occupied the coveted post for five years between 2013-18. Shivakumar had served as Minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet.
According to party sources, the opinion of newly elected legislators will be sought and depending on the outcome, they might be asked to vote to elect their leader, if need arise.
Shivakumar has been openly expressing his Chief Ministerial aspirations at various events, especially the ones connected with Vokkaligas. He had asked the dominant community, to which he belongs, not to lose out an opportunity with him as the KPCC president, while pointing out that S M Krishna was the last Vokkaliga to lead the party in the polls and then went on to become the CM in 1999.
In fact in this election, the Congress’ has significantly improved its electoral performance in the Vokkaliga dominated Old Mysuru region (south Karnataka) and that credit largely goes to Shivakumar.
Also, there have been instances in the party that whoever has successfully led as KPCC President in election, have been the natural choice to be the CM, like in the case of Krishna and Veerendra Patil.
Siddaramaiah, who has seniority on his side, is known for able administratrative skills, and has the experience of having run a successful tenure as the Chief Minister. He also enjoys the distinction of having presented 13 budgets for the state.
Being a mass leader, he has considerable clout among the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits). The mega 75th birthday bash of Siddaramaiah held last year in Davanagere, was largely seen as an attempt by him and his loyalists to project him as the future CM.
Seventy-five-year-old Siddaramaiah who has already announced that this was his last election, has been maintaining that the Chief Minister will be elected by the newly elected MLAs in consultation with the party high command.
There are also other contenders for the post like former Deputy Chief Minister and ex KPCC President G Parameshwara and veteran leader and seven time MP K H Muniyappa —both Dalits, and M B Patil, a Lingayat.
Observers
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed former chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde and party leaders Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria as observers for the election of the CLP leader in Karnataka. AICC general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal said the central observers will oversee the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.
"Hon’ble Congress President has deputed Shri.Sushilkumar Shinde (Former Chief Minister, Maharashtra), Shri.Jitendra Singh (AICC GS) and Shri.Deepak Babaria (former AICC GS) as observers for the election of the CLP Leader of Karnataka," he tweeted.
The observers are likely to get the views of MLAs on Monday or Tuesday and submit it to the Congress President.
(With PTI inputs)
