Bangalore: A meeting of the newly elected members of of the Congress which returned to power after 8 years, is likely to be held within the next two days to seek their opinion on the election of the new leader.
AICC observers were expected to reach either Thursday night or on Friday to start the process of picking up the new leader. Congress had cruised to a comfortable majority of 121 seats in the May 5 elections.
As of now, the possible contenders are leader of the opposition in the previous Assembly Siddaramaiah and Union Minister for Labour Mallikarjuna Kharge.
“However, final decision on naming the new Chief Minister of Karnataka will be vested with the AICC High Command Sonia Gandhi and whoever is named by the madam will be accepted by one and all since ours is a disciplined party,” former KPCC President R V Deshpande, who was elected from Haliyal Assembly seat.
Replying to a question, the former Minister told newsmen that “I am also in the race for Chief Minister post, but I will never lobby for any post and I am ready to shoulder any responsibility and abide by the decision of the High Command.”
KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar told newsmen separately that the “Congress gaining absolute majority is a collective effort.” About his defeat in the election, he said “some times it happens. As State President I concentrated fully on preparing the party and could not give much attention to my constituency problems and this was viewed seriously by the voters.”
Replying to a question, he said “it is quite common that everybody will aspire to become Chief Minister. For that matter I am also in the race, Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and others also are in the race. But final decision is left to High Command. So far no date was fixed for CLP meeting.”
All 120 MLAs with me, says Siddaramaiah: Meanwhile, Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that all 120 of the party’s newly elected legislators were with him. The Congress, he added, was sending observers from Delhi to ascertain from them their choice for chief minister,
“The observers will brief the party high command (on legislators’ choice) which will take the decision,” Siddaramaiah, who was leader of the opposition in the outgoing assembly, told reporters at his residence here.
On the support he has among the legislators to become the chief minister, he said: “All 120 MLAs (members of the legislative assembly) are with me.”
He did not give details of who would be coming as observers and when the decision on chief minister was likely to be announced.
“I am a strong contender,” Siddaramaiah had said Wednesday even as vote count was on and trends showed that the Congress was heading for a clear majority in the house.(Agencies))
