Bengaluru: The Congress Legislature Party is scheduled to meet Saturday evening here to elect its new leader, who will succeed Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.
D K Shivakumar, who served as Deputy CM under Siddaramaiah, is widely expected to be elected as the new leader of the CLP.
Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Chief Minister was accepted, and the Council of Ministers was dissolved by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot Friday.
All lawmakers have been asked to attend the CLP meeting at 4 pm in Vidhana Soudha’s conference hall, which will be overseen by AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah himself will propose Shivakumar as the new CLP leader, or a one-line resolution may be passed authorising the Congress high command to choose the next leader.
The swearing-in of the new Chief Minister is likely Sunday or Monday, and it may be held on the iconic grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, official sources said.
There are expectations that a few Ministers may also be sworn in.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar held discussions with Congress leadership in Delhi on Friday regarding the modalities of the new cabinet and the transition of power.
Lobbying has been intensified by Ministerial aspirants in New Delhi before the high command.
While some ministers from the dissolved Council of Ministers are trying to secure their positions in the new cabinet, legislators hoping for a cabinet berth this time have also reached the national capital.
According to sources, there are indications that the new cabinet will have a mix of both old and new members. Efforts will be made to strike a balance by ensuring representation while keeping caste equations, regions, and Siddaramaiah loyalists in mind.
Speculation is rife that there may be multiple Deputy CMs, and many ministers from the Siddaramaiah cabinet may not be retained.
According to party sources, deliberations on the cabinet exercise are still ongoing with the party leadership.
Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yathindra, accompanying his father to meet the Congress high command in Delhi on Friday, has also led to speculations about his induction into the cabinet.
Talks are also ongoing regarding the new state Congress President, a post currently held by Shivakumar. Senior MLA and former Minister Satish Jarkiholi is said to be the frontrunner for the post.