New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visits the residence of party President Mallikarjun Kharge, in New Delhi, Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (PTI photo)
Gandhi went to Kharge’s residence and held a closed-door meeting with the Congress chief. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who is in-charge of the party’s affairs in Karnataka, was also present in the meeting.
As Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is holding meetings to decide the next chief minister of Karnataka, former party chief Rahul Gandhi arrived at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday to ensure “no more political drama” over government formation in the southern state.
Sources in the know of the developments told CNN News18 that Rahul Gandhi does not want the political tussle over the CM post in Karnataka to escalate and hence wants a decision at the earliest.
Gandhi went to Kharge’s residence and held a closed-door meeting with the Congress chief. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who is in-charge of the party’s affairs in Karnataka, was also present in the meeting.
Sources further said that Congress chief Kharge would meet the two top contenders for the chief minister’s post, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, separately today.
“Then there will be a joint meeting, followed by an internal meeting of the high command to decide on the chief ministerial candidate. The announcement may be delayed till tomorrow,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday, Kharge held discussions with party leaders from Karnataka and three observers appointed by him to oversee the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru.
Both Siddaramaiah and state Congress president DK Shivakumar are frontrunners for the chief minister’s post and both are lobbying for it.
While former chief minister Siddaramaiah is in Delhi, Shivakumar canceled his visit to the national capital on Monday evening citing health issues, triggering speculations that all is not well in the party.
Shivakumar reached the national capital on Tuesday afternoon. After arriving at the Delhi airport, he did not speak to the media and walked away with folded hands, fielding questions from reporters.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar will discuss government formation in Karnataka.
In the just-concluded assembly elections, the Congress won an emphatic victory with 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) led by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda secured 66 and 19 seats, respectively.
,with PTI inputs,