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With the ball now in Kharge’s court, lobbying for the top post is set to shift to Delhi.
The swearing-in ceremony for the chief minister will be held on May 18, to which all like-minded parties will be invited.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also held informal talks to choose the leader of the opposition and the deputy floor leader in the Karnataka assembly. In the meeting, the names of former CM Basavaraj Bommai and former minister R Ashoka were considered for leading the Opposition in the state, Times of India reported quoting sources.
A senior BJP MLA said that since former CM Bommai has the ability to speak on any subject and take on the new government, the chances of him being selected as the opposition leader are bright, according to the TOI report.
However, the MLA added that the chances of Ashoka emerging as a winner also cannot be ruled out as he is also a senior MLA.
Other names that made rounds for the post were former ministers S Suresh Kumar, V Sunil Kumar and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
Meanwhile, a day after the announcement of Karnataka Assembly election results which saw the Congress emerging victorious with the required majority to form the government, outgoing Chief Minister Bommai on Sunday said “the loss is not the defeat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
“This is not PM Modi’s defeat as he came here only for the campaign. The Congress leadership has lost in the entire country,” he told reporters near the BJP office here, adding: “It’s not correct to blame PM Modi for the BJP’s defeat in the state.”
In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress scored an emphatic victory with 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19, respectively.
After the results were declared on Saturday, Congress president Kharge deputed former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and former AICC general secretary Deepak Babaria as observers for the election of the CLP leader in Karnataka.
The legislature party passed another resolution, moved by Shivakumar, promising to implement the five promises made to the people of Karnataka.
The resolution stated the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka “wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude towards the 6.5 crore Kannadigas for reposing their faith in us and giving a decisive mandate to the Congress Party in the Karnataka Assembly Elections.”
The Congress Legislature Party also expressed its appreciation and thanks to Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and state leaders for their efforts.
The CLP said it shall ensure social justice and economic equality remain at the core of its government’s policies and will fulfil the five “guarantees”.
These are 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to woman heads of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of BPL households (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youths and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (Yuva Nidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti).
Both the eight-time MLA Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah have made no secret of their ambition to become Chief Minister and had been involved in a game of political one-upmanship in the past.
The Congress had entered the campaign phase with the challenge of keeping at bay the factionalism, especially between the camps of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who had been openly rooting for their leaders, but the party put up a united front and ensured that no rift came out in open that could derail its prospects, under the mentorship of Kharge.
Banners have come up in front of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar’s residences in Bengaluru, erected by supporters, congratulating them for Congress’ win and projecting them as the “next CM”.
While the 60-year-old Shivakumar is considered to be a “troubleshooter” for the Congress, Siddaramaiah has a pan-Karnataka appeal.
If Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress after being expelled from JD(S), gets elected as the CLP leader, this would be his second stint as the Chief Minister from the party after having occupied the top post for five years between 2013-18. Shivakumar had served as Minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet.
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