CM Race in Karnataka LIVE Updates: Karnataka has waited three days sitting tight for the announcement of the next chief minister, and today Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to announce the name of Siddaramaiah to ebe the Chief Minister today. The head of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and opposition leader Siddaramaiah are the two leading candidates.
Congress believed to have clinched the tussle for Karnataka chief ministership Wednesday, with Siddaramaiah likely to take up the top post and state party chief DK Shivakumar being persuaded to be his deputy. An announcement is expected to be made Thursday.
The Congress has also fielded other candidates for the position, including veteran politician and former deputy CM G Parameshwara. On Tuesday, Kharge met with a number of party officials, including Rahul Gandhi, the central observers for the Congress, recently elected MLAs, and the two leading candidates, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
DK Shivakumar, the head of the Karnataka Congress, cancelled his trip plans on Monday due to a stomach bug. He finally arrived in Delhi on Tuesday to meet with the national leadership. He declared that he will support the high command despite rumours that he might revolt or resign.
After the May 10 assembly election, the Congress party experienced a significant victory in Karnataka, winning 135 seats and becoming the only party, giving the state a clear mandate. The Janata Dal (Secular), a local party, managed to win 19 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win 66 seats.
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