The AICC will announce the name of Karnataka’s new CM in Delhi on Monday, and the swearing-in of the new government will take place on May 18, sources in the party told ET.
“The Congress Legislature Party unanimously resolves that the AICC President is hereby authorised to appoint the new Leader of the Congress Legislature Party,” read the resolution.
The CLP met in the presence of three AICC observers led by former Maharashtra chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde and AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar read out the resolution which was seconded by senior leader Siddaramaiah.
The leaders also read out a two-page resolution conveying the party’s gratitude to 6.5 crore Kannadigas for reposing their faith in it and for giving it a decisive mandate. It also thanked Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi for their campaign efforts. “We will fulfil the 5 Congress Guarantees as our solemn promise to the people,” the resolution read, reiterating the statements the national leaders made on Saturday.
The Congress, which recorded a landslide victory in the May 10 assembly polls, has 135 MLAs of its own in the 224-member assembly, more than twice that of the BJP.Kharge, one source said, may share his inputs to Sonia Gandhi and leave a final decision to her. The senior leader, who hails from Kalaburgi in Karnataka and missed the CM’s post earlier, does not want to be seen to be favouring a leader, sources said.
Monday incidentally is also the birth day of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar.
AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and former AICC general secretary Deepak Babaria were the two other observers present at the meeting.
The Congress also enjoys the support of two independents and the lone MLA from Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha.
Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are seen as the principal architects of the stupendous victory the Congress has registered in Karnataka in the face of aggressive campaigning by the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Both Shivakumar (60) and Siddaramaiah (75) have been quite vocal about their desire to be the next chief minister, leaving the party high command in a tight spot. This kind of landslide victory was possible because of the support the party received from the Lingayats, Vokkaligas and OBCs and minorities so the party will have to ensure proper representation to all these communities and regions in the new cabinet, sources said.
The ministry formation may turn out to be a challenging one for the Congress as it will have to take all communities into confidence to count on their support in the Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year. The BJP holds 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, and the Congress is determined to keep the momentum going to wrest most of these seats, the sources added.
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