DK Shivakumar Holds Meeting With Leaders, Supporters At MP Brother DK Suresh's Office

DK Shivakumar also met with party leader Rahul Gandhi in the national capital even as the party refrained from making any official announcement yet on who will be the next Karnataka CM.

New Delhi: Who will be the next CM of Karnataka? That’s the burning question that has kept everyone on the edge of their seats on Wednesday. The state Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar held a discussion with leaders of the party and his supporters at his brother-party MP DK Suresh's residence here. Earlier on Wednesday, DK Shivakumar met with party leader Rahul Gandhi in the national capital even as the party refrained from making any official announcement yet on who will be the next Karnataka CM. Earlier today Shivakumar met with Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge's house after a long meeting. The KPCC chief did not answer media questions. He is set to meet with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi later this evening.

Meanwhile, abother top CM contender Siddaramaiah, a former CM and a popular figure, also had a cordial meeting with Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday.

Delhi | Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar holds a discussion with leaders of the party and his supporters at his brother-party MP DK Suresh's residence. pic.twitter.com/oBEEnqCbSB — ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2023

The official media handle of Congress shared pictures of Rahul Gandhi with both the leaders
Calling Gandhi a "jannayak" - leader of the people - the Congress tweeted, "Rahul Gandhi ji met DK Shivakumar ji and Siddaramaiah ji after the landslide victory in Karnataka."

कर्नाटक में मिली प्रचंड जीत के बाद जननायक @RahulGandhi जी से @DKShivakumar जी और @siddaramaiah जी ने मुलाकात की। pic.twitter.com/rMmMAduxfe

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 17, 2023

Next Karnataka CM To Be Announced Today Or Tomorrow: Surjewala

Earlier Congress' Karnataka-in-charge Randeep Surjewala said that a decision on the next Karnataka chief minister will be announced today or tomorrow and a new cabinet will be in place within 72 hours. Surjewala also dismissed speculative reports that Siddaramaiah was likely to be named the chief minister once again.

"Delibrations are currently underway by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Whenever Congress makes a decision we will inform you. In the next 48-72 hours, we will have a new cabinet in Karnataka," he told reporters.

The Congress leader said that consultations are still on and urged media to not report on speculation or heed to fake information. Four days since Congress registered an emphatic victory in the Assembly polls by wresting power from the Bharatiya Janata Party, still, the State is yet to get a Chief Minister. Meanwhile, supporters of Siddaramaiah were seen bursting firecrackers in Bengaluru.

After registering an emphatic win in the Karnataka Assembly elections the Congress legislative party met late evening on Sunday in Bengaluru and passed a one-line resolution empowering Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to pick the head of the legislative party.

The Congress had emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka after winning the May 10 assembly election. It won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.