New Delhi, May 16, 2023, Special Correspondent
New Delhi, May 16: Hectic parleys continued in the national capital to select a new chief minister for Karnataka, with the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge buzzing with activities.
Both front runners for chief minister’s post Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are in Delhi for consultations with the Congress leadership.
After initial dithering, Shivakumar arrived in Delhi this afternoon after being called by the party high command, while Siddaramaiah, the other front-runner for the chief minister's post, had arrived in the national capital yesterday.
Despite Congress getting a clear mandate in the Karnataka assembly polls, suspense over chief minister continues.
The Congress won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.
The party's central observers for Karnataka had yesterday briefed Kharge on the views of the newly elected MLAs.
According to party sources, Kharge will consult Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra before taking a final decision.
The Congress legislature party had met on Sunday in Bengaluru and passed a one-line resolution empowering the Congress chief to pick the legislature party leader, who will eventually be the chief minister.
As supporters of both the leaders are indulging in hectic lobbying in support of their leaders, Kharge earlier in the day, discussed the matter with former party chief Rahul Gandhi, who drove down to his residence.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also held a separate meeting with Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue of government formation in Karnataka.