Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday confirmed that no decision has been taken on the ministerial post in the state.
After Siddaramaiah resigned from his post as Karnataka Chief Minister on Thursday, speculations emerged regarding his successor, with some leaders floating Shivakumar’s name for the role.
Shivakumar, however, downplayed the possibility, highlighting that the decision would be taken by the high command at the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting held on Saturday.
Read also | Congress officers discuss Karnataka government structure after leadership transition
“Everything is happening as per the request of the high command. Nothing has been decided. Tomorrow we have called a CLP meeting, and our central leaders should come,” the former deputy chief minister said. We have to take up the matter with our top leadership,” he said, adding that all Karnataka Congress members have also been asked to be in Bengaluru. “Other than that, there is nothing else,” Shivakumar added.
Siddaramaiah said after submitting his resignation that he resigned “voluntarily,” adding that there was no external pressure on him.
Karnataka CLP meeting on Saturday: What do we know?
A meeting of the Karnataka Congress party’s legislative body has been called for Saturday (May 30), with a new leader to be elected, news agency PTI reported, citing party sources.
The meeting will be held at the conference hall in Vidhana Soudha at 4 pm, according to a message sent by party legislative secretary Alamprabhu Patel to all the legislators.
Senior Congress leaders are expected to discuss the structure of the Karnataka government, composition of the new Cabinet, ministerial posts, allocation of key portfolios, balance between factions within the state unit, and possible organizational changes to manage competing interests after the leadership transition. The meeting will be chaired by Siddaramaiah and expected to be attended by Shivakumar, AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala and legislative council leader NS Bhusraju.
Read also | Siddaramaiah’s exit ends Karnataka’s impasse, and the focus shifts to DK Shivakumar
“Looks like DK Shivakumar will be….”
Former Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa on Friday indicated the possibility of DK Shivakumar taking over as the new chief minister in the state, news agency ANI reported.
Bangarappa said the transition would be “smooth”, praising the top leadership and former chief minister Siddaramaiah for handling it “extremely well”. “After that, it is now the next phase that we have to move to. And I think that’s it, it’s a call to the high command. And I think it looks like DK Shivakumar will be, you know, that the Congress Legislature Party is there, and then, and then, and so on, the action will begin,” the former minister added.
