The 135 newly-elected Congress MLAs gathered in Bengaluru on Sunday evening, just a day after the Congress partys overwhelming victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections. They approved a modest resolution authorising AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to choose the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) during the session.The process of choosing the next CMThis resolution was carried amid cheers and slogans from supporters of state party president D K Shivakumar and senior Congress politician Siddaramaiah, who had assembled outside the hotel where MLAs were convening to nominate the CLP leader and, ultimately, the new Karnataka Chief Minister. Randeep Singh Surjewala, the AICC national secretary in charge of Karnataka, revealed that the motion was submitted by Siddaramaiah and supported by all newly elected legislators. Surjewala went on to say that the task of collecting personal views from MLAs would begin shortly and that their thoughts would be communicated to the partys high command. K C Venugopal, AICC general secretary, stated that the process of gathering MLA feedback would be concluded on the same day (Sunday). Sushilkumar Shinde, the former chief minister of Maharashtra, Jitendra Singh, and Deepak Babaria were chosen by Kharge to act as observers for the CLP leader election earlier in the day. No settlement has been achieved between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over a shared tenure for the two leaders, despite reports that the Congress party had made this suggestion. Kharge had stated on Saturday that Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar would lead the Congress party in forming the government, indicating a likely joint term. According to sources, former Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara is also a contender for the position of Chief Minister, making him the states first Dalit CM.Image: TwitterWho has more chances to become the next CMSiddaramaiah, who led the Congress in the previous Assembly, is thought to have a larger following among the 135 Congress MLAs elected for the current Assembly. Shivakumar, on the other hand, is banking on his devotion to the Congresss high command and his capacity as KPCC chairman to lay a claim for the CLP leadership and the office of Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah met with a few legislators who supported him and also met with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge before Kharge left for New Delhi. Shivakumar, meanwhile, went to temples in areas where the Vokkaliga community predominated and asked legislators chosen from that group for support. Several well-known seers, including Lingayat seer Vachananda Swami and Vokkaliga seer Nirmalananda Natha Swamiji of Adi Chunchanagiri, expressed support for Shivakumars bid.The CLPs first resolution offered gratitude to the people of Karnataka and Congress leaders for their dedication to protecting the state and democracy. It pledged to work tirelessly and collaboratively to deliver a responsible, accountable, and transparent administration with a focus on servicing the 6.5 crores Kannadigas. The resolution also promised to fulfil five promises: Rs 2,000 per month for every female head of a household, Rs 3,000 per month for unemployed graduates, Rs 1,500 per month for unemployed diploma holders, 10 kg of rice per individual per month for BPL families, 200 units of free electricity for every household, and free bus tickets for women in the state.
