NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, MAY 16
A decision on the appointment of the Chief Minister of Karnataka will be known in a day or two, AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera said on Tuesday. Khera told reporters here that the views of the newly-elected MLAs have been elicited and the central leadership is seized of the matter.
- Decision on appointment of CM in a day or two, says Pawan Khera
- Reports say Congress considering rotational system; both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar meet Kharge
Amid intense lobbying for the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka, senior Congress leader G Parameshwara on Tuesday said he was ready to take up the responsibility if the party high command asked him to run the government.
The former state Congress President said, the high command is aware of his service to the party, and he doesn’t feel the need to lobby for the post.
“If the high command decides and asks me to run the government, I’m ready to take up the responsibility,” the former Deputy Chief Minister told reporters here.
“I have faith in the party high command. I have certain principles. I can also take about 50 legislators and do the shouting, but for me the discipline of the party is important. If people like us don’t follow things, there won’t be any discipline in the party. I have said that if the high command gives me the responsibility, I will take it up. I have not said I won’t.”, he said.
However, reports said that the Congress leadership was considering a power-sharing formula between Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, the two strong claimants for the chief minister’s post.
As per the agreement, reports claimed, Siddaramaiah will take over as the chief minister while Shivakumar will continue as the KPCC president for the first two and a half years. In the second term, Shivakumar will be elevated to the CM post, they said.
An official announcement is likely after Sonia Gandhi, who is currently in Shimla, reaches Delhi.
According to local media, even though Shivakumar was offered the deputy chief minister post, he is unlikely to accept it.
Both Siddaramaiah (75) and Shivakumar (60) met party president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Tuesday evening. Kharge is now scheduled to have another round of discussions with the central leaders as also leaders from the state before a decision is made official.
According to party sources, what is working for Siddaramaiah are his OBC identity, the support he has among the backward classes, dalits and minorities, his pan Karnataka acceptance and his experience in administration.
However, Shivakumar is learnt to have made a strong claim, citing the fact that he had taken over the organisation when the party was in dire straits and, as promised to the high command, delivered Karnataka.
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Kharge at his residence and held discussions over government formation in the southern state.
