After Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah meets Kharge; announcement on new K'taka CM likely on Wed

New Delhi, May 16

Moments after Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar met Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing assembly and former chief minister Siddaramaiah also met the party chief at his residence, where deliberations have been going on to select a new chief minister.

Party sources said that announcement on new chief minister will be made on Wednesday in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Siddaramaiah, who arrived in the national capital on Monday by a special flight on Tuesday, met Kharge at his residence here.

His meeting with Kharge came after Shivakumar met the party chief at his residence around 5 p.m. whereas Siddaramaiah arrived at Kharge's residence at 6.15 p.m.

According to party sources, the announcement for the new Karnataka chief minister will be made in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Meeting of both the leaders with Kharge comes hours after former party chief Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary (Organisation) KC 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 Shimla.

On Monday, all the three observers for Karnataka had submitted their report to Kharge and the meeting of the party leaders lasted for over 5 hours.

Siddaramaiah had arrived in the national capital on Monday afternoon through a special flight whereas Shivakumar didn't come on Monday due to stomach infection. He arrived in the national capital on Tuesday afternoon. Before leaving for Delhi from Bengaluru, Shivakumar said that the party is "God" to him.

"Ours is a united house. Our number is 135 and I am a party President. Congress party is my temple. The party is like a mother. I have done my job," Shivakumar stated.

"The God and mother know what to offer to the children. I am going to meet my God in the temple. I am going alone. The General Secretary had asked me to come there alone," Shivakumar stated.

Veteran leader Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are vying for the top post.

Sources said that despite Siddaramaiah getting the majority, 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 while the JD-S, which was hoping to play the role of kingmaker, was reduced to 19 seats in the state.