Siddaramaiah meets Rahul amid suspense over new Karnataka CM

Before Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar had also met Kharge at his residence

New Delhi: A day after meeting Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the outgoing Karnataka Assembly, Siddaramaiah on Wednesday arrived at the residence of Rahul Gandhi for a meeting.

Siddaramaiah, who is said to be the front-runner for the chief ministerial post in the state arrived at 10 Janpath for the meeting.

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According to party sources, the meeting is being dubbed as a courtesy meeting and the first after party’s thumping victory in Karnataka.
On Tuesday evening, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held meeting with Kharge. Siddaramaiah had arrived in the national capital on Monday afternoon by a special flight.

Before Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar had also met Kharge at his residence. Shivakumar arrived in Delhi on Tuesday afternoon after cancelling his Monday trip due to stomach infection.

According to party sources, Kharge is likely to make an announcement on the new Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday after discussing the observers’ report with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

On Tuesday afternoon, Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala held a long discussion with the party chief to decide on the new Karnataka chief minister. The meeting of the senior Congress leaders lasted for over one and half hours.

On Monday night, party sources had said that the Congress chief will decide on the next CM of Karnataka after discussing the result of the secret ballot voting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi is currently in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla.

On Monday, all the three observers submitted their report to Kharge and the meeting of the party leaders lasted for over five hours.
Veteran leader Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are vying for the top post.

Sources said that despite Siddaramaiah getting the majority during the secret ballot, Shivakumar is not willing to budge. He is claiming that he had delivered the victory to the party and hence deserved the chief minister’s post.

Congress had won 135 seats in Karnataka whereas ruling BJP managed to win only 66 and the JD(S), which was hoping to play the role of a kingmaker, was reduced to 19 seats.