Congress President Kharge may announce Karnataka’s next CM tomorrow: Report

New Delhi (India), May 16 (ANI): As the Congress is still mulling over the selection of Karnataka’s next chief minister, sources said party president Mallikarjun Kharge will announce the name for the top post in Bengaluru on Thursday. According to sources, Kharge will take a final decision after consulting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi. “No final decision has been taken on Karnataka CM post yet. Congress President has met all stakeholders. Congress President has met all stakeholders. Now final decision taken by him in consultation with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi The announcement could be delayed till tomorrow and the announcement could be made in Bengaluru itself, said sources.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting with both the potential candidates DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in New Delhi. Siddaramaiah came to Kharge’s residence along with his son Yatindra and MLAs Jameer Ahmed, Bhairati Suresh and senior leader KJ George.

Despite a clear mandate for the Congress in the Karnataka assembly elections, suspense over the chief ministership continues as senior leader DK Shivakumar, who is the Karnataka Congress president, and former chief minister and leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah are in the race.

ALSO READ: Karnataka CM race: Kharge meets Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah one-on-one

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met party president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is set to take his decision after going through the report of Congress central observers submitted on Monday. However, Shivakumar, who had canceled his visit to the national capital on Monday evening citing health issues, reached Delhi on Tuesday.

The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. Earlier in the day, Shivakumar made it clear in an exclusive interview with ANI that he would not resort to “backstabbing or blackmail” regardless of the party’s decision.

ALSO READ: Karnataka woman conductor helps pregnant passenger deliver baby in KSRTC bus

“The party can give me responsibility if it wants… We have a joint house, we are 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am responsible.” Man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” he said.

“The party is my God…we have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this,” he said before leaving for Bengaluru. “We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it… A mother will give everything to her child,” he said.

Asked about his expectations as state party president, Shivakumar said, “I don’t want to comment on what happened earlier.” How did this happen. It is a closed chapter, we formed the government, we lost the government, we lost the coalition government. There is no point in talking about who is responsible for victory and defeat. Let’s not sell this story…let’s sell the future.”