Karnataka polls: Focus is on who will be next CM- Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar

Bengaluru: The attention of the Congress party has now changed to who will be appointed Chief Minister in the wake of the overwhelming victory in Karnataka.

The front-runners for the coveted position are the leader of the opposition, Siddaramaiah, and the president of the Karnataka Congress, D.K. Shivakumar. Both are waiting for the high command to make a choice.

Siddaramaiah, while answering a question on who will become the CM, stated on Saturday that the high command will take the opinion of newly-elected MLAs and a decision would be taken accordingly. The observers will be sent here by the high command and a decision would be taken later after consultations and due process, he added, IANS reported.

Shivakumar also maintained that the high command will take a call.

Sources explained that the high command is coming up with a 50:50 formula for Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, as the stakes are huge for the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Siddaramaiah is known as the mass leader of the Ahinda (Alpsankhyak, Hindulida and Dalit) group comprising minorities, backwards and Dalits. He played a crucial role in policymaking and manifesto promises. He is also known for his stinging criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the RSS.

Shivakumar had built the party from scratch in the state when BJP poached its top leaders, including sitting ministers in 2019. He organised the party and pooled in resources. He hails from the prominent Vokkaliga community and managed to get the majority of votes from them for the Congress party.