After almost a week of rumours following the party’s declared victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress on Thursday officially named Siddaramaiah as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka and DK Shivakumar as the Deputy Chief Minister. Up until late last night, when Sonia Gandhi spoke to him, Shivakumar had refused to renounce his claim to the position of chief minister. Shivakumar would continue to lead the Congress’ Karnataka unit till the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
When questioned about a potential power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, which was suggested as a way to end the standoff, the Congress responded: “Power sharing means sharing power with the people of Karnataka… that is all.”
This week, some media sources stated that the possibility of split terms—2.5 years each—was present. However, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar apparently did not want to go second in the lineup, therefore that option was dropped.
According to the Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, the two will now be sworn in on Saturday alongside a not specified number of ministers.
Shivakumar then tweeted: “Karnataka’s secure future and our people’s welfare is our top priority… and we (the Congress) are united in guaranteeing that.”
Nothing more needed to be mentioned to the party’s statement, according to Siddaramaiah. A few days prior, Shivakumar made comments that were seen as ruling out a rebellion, such that he had “sacrificed for the party” and that he would not “backstab.”
According to information provided by Shivakumar’s office to the Hindustan Times on Wednesday, the Congress sought to appoint Siddaramaiah as chief minister and had offered him the position of deputy chief minister along with six other portfolios.
The appointments were verified by Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, who also stated that Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, and other state officials, including other contenders for the top position, held open discussions that reflected the party’s dedication to the democratic process.
The Congress explained the delay in appointing a chief minister as the result of lengthy consultations and talks. The party emphasised that each claimant “deserved to become a chief minister” and that they were both strong senior leaders.
“We are a democratic party and consulted Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders… both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are capable of becoming chief minister,” Surjewala told reporters.
Since the election results were announced, there have been frantic discussions, since it became evident that neither Shivakumar nor Siddaramaiah was prepared to take second place. This forced the Congress to find a solution to the matter because it threatened to overshadow the significance of the victory in Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, both from Karnataka, have set up camp in Delhi to meet with senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
The Karnataka puzzle’s solution will be a great relief for the Congress party, which is eager to capitalise on the momentum created by this election victory. The party’s (and the opposition’s) efforts to bring down Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which he leads, depend on the success of these two years.
The resolution also aids the Congress in temporarily containing the threat of civil war and concentrating on the difficult situation in Rajasthan, where an election is scheduled amid conflict between the chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his ex-deputy Sachin Pilot.
Later this year, voters will also cast ballots in Mizoram, Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana, where chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and his Bharat Rashtra Samithi are preparing to contest for the Lok Sabha.
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