Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh on Tuesday said the final decision on who should be the next CM of Karnataka lies with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi. “Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi will take a call on the issue (of deciding Karnataka CM). DK Shivakumar is coming today, after that, AICC president and other leaders will sit together and discuss the issues,” he said.
After the central observers of Congress for Karnataka submitted their report regarding the next Chief Ministerial choice to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge of state Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday said that the party will stand up to the pledge made to 6.5 crores Kannadigas.
“Congress party will stand up to the pledge made to 6.5 crores Kannadigas…the observers have submitted their written report to the Congress President,” Surjewala said while talking to the reporters here.

He further said that the party President Mallikarjun Kharge will hold deliberations with state leaders and other central leaders to take a call on the next Karnataka Chief Ministerial choice.”Party President will hold deliberations with state leaders and other central leaders and will take an appropriate call,” he added.

After registering a landslide victory in Karnataka assembly polls, the party is working on selecting the next Chief Minister of the state; the most probable names among which are former CM Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief DK Shivakumar.
Earlier on Sunday, a meeting convened after the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) unanimously passed a resolution authorising party president Mallikarjun Kharge to pick the name of the Karnataka Chief Minister.

“The Congress Legislature Party unanimously resolves that AICC President is hereby authorised to appoint the new leader of the Congress Legislature Party,” the resolution stated.
The meeting which started late on Sunday night at a hotel in Bengaluru, continued till 1.30 am. It was attended by all 135 newly elected MLAs.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and party leaders Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria were present in the meeting as observers. Party leaders like Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and others also attended the meeting.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday arrived at the party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence for a meeting, in which they are set to hold discussions regarding the next chief minister of Karnataka. Kharge is then expected to hold a meeting with DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, the two contenders for the CM post.
Congress leader BK Hariprasad on Tuesday said there is no delay in selecting the next Karnataka CM and that procedures are being followed. “Congress president will take a decision based on the observers’ report. There is no delay, we are following the process,” he said.
Newly elected Karnataka Congress MLAs arrived at the party national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence amid ongoing talks regarding the next Karnataka chief minister.
On the other hand Congress veteran Siddaramaiah remained tight-lipped and did not interact with reporters amid the ongoing suspense over the next Karnataka CM. He met with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership on Monday. DK Shivakumar, the other contender for the post, is set to arrive in the national capital today to hold discussions with the top brass
As Karnataka awaits the Congress’ decision on its next CM, DK Shivakumar, arrived at Delhi to hold talks with the central leadership, said that the party is like a family for everyone and that it has to protect everyone’s interest. “Sonia Gandhi is our role model…Congress is family for everyone. Our constitution is very much important, so we have to protect everyone’s interest.”
DK Shivakumar, who is competing with fellow senior party leader Siddaramaiah to become Karnataka’s next CM, spoke to reporters before leaving for Delhi today. “Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” he said.