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Bengaluru: As speculation over who will become the Karnataka chief minister grows within the party and across the country, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday said that a decision on the next Karnataka CM will be announced today or tomorrow and a new cabinet will be in place within 72 hours.
Randeep Surjewala also dismissed speculative reports that Siddaramaiah was likely to be named the chief minister once again and said deliberations are currently underway by party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“Whenever Congress makes a decision, we will inform you. In the next 48-72 hours, we will have a new cabinet in Karnataka,” he said.
The Congress leader said a new chief minister will be sworn-in within 24 hours and a new state Cabinet within 48 to 72 hours.
Four days since Congress registered an emphatic victory in the Assembly polls in Karnataka by wresting power from the Bharatiya Janata Party, still, the state is yet to get a Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, supporters of Siddaramaiah were seen bursting firecrackers in Bengaluru. Also, police officials were seen inspecting the Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium in Bengaluru where the swearing-in ceremony of the new Karnataka government is likely to be held.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar both met Rahul Gandhi at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence, in the national capital.
Apart from this, Karnataka Congress working president Eshwar Khandare and other MLAs arrived at the party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in the national capital for meetings in connection with picking the next chief minister of the State.
Khandare had asserted that the suspense over the decision of the next Chief Minister of the State would likely end by this evening.
“I met the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the recent developments in Karnataka…Only high command will decide, we are 100 per cent united. Decision maybe by today evening,” Khandare had told reporters here.
On Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held meetings with both potential candidates D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in New Delhi.
Siddaramaiah had arrived at Kharge’s residence along with his son Yatindra and MLAs Zameer Ahmad, Bhyrati Suresh, and senior leader KJ George.
The Congress had emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka after winning the May 10 assembly election. It won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly. (ANI)
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