The Congress on Thursday finally announced the name of K Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka and State party president DK Shivakumar as his “only” deputy, who along with a few Cabinet members would take oath on Saturday which again is to be orchestrated to exhibit a show of Opposition solidarity.

Siddaramaiah met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to stake claim to form a government shortly after the eight-time MLA was formally elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Karnataka at a meeting of the newly elected party MLAs at Indira Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru on Thursday night.

Announcing the decision taken by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge after hectic parleys ever since the party emerged victorious last Saturday, AICC general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said the party has chosen Siddaramiah as the Chief Minister of Karnataka and DK Shivakumar will be the only Deputy Chief Minister. Shivakumar will also continue as the party’s Karnataka State president till parliamentary elections are over, he said.

Sources said around 20 Ministers will also be sworn-in along with the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, including some from the State legislative council.

Vast experience in running the Government and mass appeal across the State have favoured Siddaramaiah in the tightly contested race for Karnataka Chief Minister.

The Congress leadership threw its weight behind the 75-year-old Siddaramaiah keeping in view the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where his clout among the OBCs, SCs and Muslims would play a key role.

Siddaramaiah also brings to the table the experience of managing the Government and competing interests of a caste and class-dominated Karnataka, having served as Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018.

He also enjoys the support of a majority of Congress MLAs, who had voted for him and pitched him as the Chief Ministerial candidate during the secret ballot after the first Congress Legislature Party meet in the State.

Asked about the much-talked-about power-sharing formula between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, Venugopal said the only formula is to share the power with the people of Karnataka. 

Siddaramaih and Shivakumar later left for Bengaluru to participate in the meeting of the legislature party where the party was to formally announce the names of Siddaramaih and Shivakumar as the CM and Deputy CM.

Asked about his relenting to play second fiddle to Siddaramaih after a spirited fight for the top post, Shivakumar said, “In the larger interest of the party, I have agreed.”  He said all the new MLAs have accepted whatever the high command decided. He said he is not upset and has a long way to go and will concentrate on strengthening the party for the Lok Sabha polls by delivering the promises made to people.

JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, JMM leader and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, DMK chief and Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav is understood to have acknowledged to attend the oath ceremony as invited by Congress president Kharge.

While National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah is yet to confirm, CPI general secretary D Raja too confirmed his participation at the swearing in.

TMC supremo West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who too has been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony is likely to skip the event however she has confirmed to send a representative. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav too and Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal too have been extended the invitation but their confirmation was not sure. 

“We are inviting the like-minded party leaders to be the part of swearing in ceremony,” AICC general secretary organisation K C Venugopal said,

Former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu too would attend the oath ceremony.

Several top Congress leaders from Kharge to Sonia and Rahul were involved in hectic parleys with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar which finally helped to break the logjam over the top post in Karnataka.

Ever since the Karnataka Assembly results were declared on May 13, both the leaders started garnering support of MLAs close to them while mustering support for themselves.

With Siddaramaiah emerging as the frontrunner in the race and after the report of observers, the party leadership asked him and Shivakumar to arrive in Delhi for further consultations. While Siddaramaih arrived on Monday evening, Shivakumar cancelled the meeting citing health issues. This complicated the situation for the party as it hardened its stand against Shivakumar, who arrived the next day.

The final round of talks started on Wednesday when both the leaders met Rahul at his residence. In the meantime, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah also spoke to Sonia, who was away in Shimla on a vacation. Sonia also asked Shivakumar to speak to Kharge and Rahul to sort out the matter, sources said.

The hectic parleys continued from Monday and went on till the wee hours of Thursday to break the deadlock in deciding on the Congress’ chief ministerial pick.  The leadership issue in Karnataka lingered as Shivakumar had dug his heels in and asserted that he be made the chief minister as the party staged a stunning victory in the southern state under his presidency.

Sources said after Rahul told both the leaders to sit together and work out a solution with Kharge, it was the party chief who told Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to hold talks with Venugopal and Surjewala, and sort out the differences and agree to Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister, whose leadership abilities and mass support helped him clinch the top post.