Congress in hectic talks over Karnataka Government
Top Congress leaders were engaged in hectic deliberations on Friday over the new government formation in Karnataka on a day Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot formally accepted the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and dissolved the cabinet.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Karnataka will meet on Saturday at 4 pm in the conference hall in Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, to elect their new leader in the state. The meeting will be chaired by Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar is set to be elected as the new leader.
A day after resigning from the top post, Siddaramaiah, accompanied by his son Yathindra, met the Congress brass, including Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge in the national Capital.
The meeting with Rahul Gandhi at Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence at 9 am was significant as Siddaramaiah is learnt to have told the former party chief that he has fulfilled his promise of resigning from the chief minister’s post, paving the way for a smooth transition in Karnataka.
He is also learnt to have discussed his future plans and the new Government formation in the southern state with Rahul Gandhi. Siddaramaiah has already declined a Rajya Sabha nomination, offered by the party leadership. He also said that he wants to remain in Karnataka and is not keen on a central role, which the party high command had suggested to him.
Sources said Siddaramaiah only met Rahul Gandhi, as Sonia Gandhi was not present during the meeting.
The outgoing chief minister is seeking berth for his son and loyalists in the new Karnataka Cabinet, including the post of deputy chief minister, the sources said.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who was present during Siddaramaiah’s hour-long meeting with Rahul Gandhi, said, "It was a very pleasant meeting. They discussed multiple political issues."
