DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah’s One-On-One With Congress Chief Amid Tussle

New Delhi:

The Karnataka suspense over the Chief Minister’s publish after the Congress’s emphatic victory seems headed in the direction of a conclusion with occasion chief Mallikarjun Kharge scheduling conferences with the 2 contenders this night. The assembly with state occasion chief DK Shivakumar is at present on. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is subsequent in line — their assembly is due at 6.30 pm.

Mr Shivakumar has made it clear that he wouldn’t again down within the tense rivalry with Siddaramaiah. However he stated he wouldn’t resort to “backstabbing or blackmail”, whatever the occasion’s choice. He additionally dominated out quitting.

Siddaramaiah spent a lot of yesterday in Delhi, the place he met with senior Congress leaders amid hypothesis that he’s nearer to the end line than his youthful colleague. “Let’s wait and see. I do not know,” he instructed reporters cautiously, requested when there could be an announcement.

Yesterday, the occasion’s management was briefed by the staff of observers on the views of the newly elected MLAs. Mr Kharge and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal later held talks on the knotty query of the highest publish, which  may have an effect on the occasion’s prospects within the subsequent yr’s common election.

Settling for both of the 2 contenders might result in alienating the opposite, in addition to their assist base – inside the occasion and out.

In DK Shivakumar’s case, it may imply a big part of the politically essential Vokkaligas. In case of Mr Siddaramaiah, it may imply a bit of MLAs backing him, and the AHINDA platform — — an outdated social mixture of minorities, Different Backward Courses, and Dalits, which had voted en masse for the Congress.
Sources stated the occasion may announce the title of the subsequent Karnataka Chief Minister over the subsequent 24 hours.

The politically essential Lingayat group, in the meantime, has staked declare to the Chief Minister’s publish. In a letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha identified that 34 of the 46 Lingayat chief fielded by the Congress have received. “We now urge the Congress occasion to present an opportunity/take into account (a) Veerashaiva Lingayat group chief for the publish of Chief Minister,” they wrote.

Mr Shivakumar arrived in Delhi this afternoon after canceling his go to final night time, citing a abdomen an infection. “The occasion is my god…We have now constructed this occasion, I’m part of it and I’m not alone on this,” he stated earlier than flying out of Bengaluru.

“We have now constructed this occasion (Congress), we have now constructed this home. I’m part of it…A mom will give every little thing to her youngster,” he added, indicating that he anticipated the occasion to reward him for his function in Congress’s Karnataka victory.

However he repeated that he wouldn’t insurgent. “If the occasion desires, they may give me the duty… Ours is a united home, our quantity is 135. I do not need to divide anybody right here. Whether or not they like me or not, I’m a accountable man. I can’t backstab and I can’t blackmail,” Mr Shivakumar asserted.

In polls held final week, the Congress received a transparent majority in Karnataka, ending with 135 seats within the 224-member meeting. Its celebrations have been, nonetheless, tempered with anxiousness over the Siddaramaiah versus Shivakumar contest for the highest job, which drags on for the third day with no answer.

Mr Siddaramaiah, 75, is a former Chief Minister and Mr Shivakumar, 61, is the occasion’s Karnataka chief. Each declare to have a majority of MLAs backing their declare to the chief minister’s publish.

Whereas Mr Siddaramaiah is seen to be a frontrunner with mass enchantment and accomplished a full time period in 2013-18, Mr Shivakumar is thought for his robust organisational capabilities, and is taken into account resourceful and Congress’ troubleshooter throughout powerful instances.

Sources near Mr Shivakumar, nonetheless, insist that Mr Siddaramaiah has “by no means been a celebration man and has by no means received any elections for the occasion”.