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By Rajdeep Sardesai: Congress leader Siddaramaiah seemed to have got an edge over party colleague DK Shivakumar in the race for the Karnataka chief minister’s job, sources told India Today. The Congress top leadership still looked like a divided house over a seemingly difficult choice between the two frontrunners.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal are backing Siddaramaiah for the CM’s post, according to sources. A majority of the MLAs are also supporting Siddaramaiah for the Karnataka top post.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has a good equation with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief DK Shivakumar.
ALSO READ | Won’t backstab or blackmail, says Shivakumar; Congress to take decision on Karnataka CM today
Current Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is not taking sides in the battle and will be holding consultations before making a decision is made, sources claimed. The Congress has given the responsibility to Kharge to choose either of the two for the Karnataka chief minister’s post.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who is in charge of the party’s affairs in Karnataka, is “neutral”, sources said.
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a meeting with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as the party was set to announce the next Karnataka CM on Tuesday. Surjewala was also present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, KPCC chief DK Shivakumar arrived in New Delhi, where he is slated to meet the party high command to discuss the issue of government formation in Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah arrived in the national capital on Monday evening.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar played an equally significant role in the victory of the Congress in the recently held elections in Karnataka in which the party won 135 of the 224 assembly seats, and ousted the BJP from power.
ALSO READ | Mass leader, clean image: Siddaramaiah’s strong claim to Karnataka CM post
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