New Delhi: After four days of intense negotiations, the Congress party has reportedly decided to choose Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, with DK Shivakumar as his deputy.
The decision was made at the Congress Legislative Party meeting held in Bengaluru, following extensive discussions and efforts by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to find a solution.
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The official swearing-in ceremony for both leaders is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
While Siddaramaiah’s appointment as the Chief Minister has been confirmed, there has been no official statement from DK Shivakumar regarding his acceptance of the deputy chief ministerial position.
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The Congress has faced challenges in persuading Shivakumar to support Siddaramaiah’s reappointment for a second term as the state’s top leader.
As per reports, during a meeting in Delhi on Wednesday, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi presented two offers to DK Shivakumar, but the discussions remained inconclusive.
The first option proposed Shivakumar as the sole Deputy Chief Minister while retaining his current role as the head of the state party unit.
Additionally, he was offered the opportunity to select six ministries of his preference.
This offer aimed to accommodate Shivakumar’s aspirations while adhering to the party’s one-man one-post policy, which was implemented when Ashok Gehlot took on the role of party president, currently held by Kharge.
Another option presented was power-sharing between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
Under this arrangement, Siddaramaiah would serve as the Chief Minister for two years, followed by Shivakumar for three years. However, neither leader was willing to assume the second position in the rotation.
Shivakumar has been adamant about his candidacy for the top post, citing his contributions over the past four years.
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He highlighted his efforts in rebuilding the party after a significant number of MLAs defected, leading to the collapse of the alliance government with HD Kumaraswamy.
Additionally, Shivakumar emphasized his role in securing a substantial mandate for the Congress in the recent assembly elections.
The Congress party faces potential consequences in the upcoming general election if a mutually agreeable solution is not reached.
Shivakumar holds influence among the politically crucial Vokkaliga community, while Siddaramaiah enjoys support from the AHINDA platform—an alliance of minorities, Other Backward Classes, and Dalits—who overwhelmingly voted for the Congress.
There are speculations that the situation in Karnataka may mirror the political turmoil witnessed in Rajasthan, where a rift between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot nearly led to a collapse of the government. Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath’s government fell after Jyotiraditya Scindia defected with a group of loyalists.
However, Shivakumar has dismissed any possibility of rebellion within the party, emphasizing his commitment to unity and stating that he will not engage in backstabbing or blackmail. He has expressed his willingness to take on responsibilities assigned by the party, reiterating his sense of responsibility and dedication.