Karnataka CM Race highlights: Mallikarjun Kharge's meeting with Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over

Karnataka's two chief ministerial aspirants Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar held separate meetings with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday as the party held hectic consultations to decide on who would lead the government in the southern state.

Amid intense lobbying for the Chief Minister's post in Karnataka, the powerful All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha on Tuesday urged Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge to consider a Veerashaiva-Lingayat community leader for the coveted position.

The suspense on Karnataka's next CM is likely to continue as the party has still not finalised a name between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. The news agency ANI reported that there is no final decision yet on the CM post of Karnataka. It also said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has met all the stakeholders and the final decision will be taken by him in consultation with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. The announcement is also likely to be from Bengaluru only.  

Ahead of choosing Karnataka's new CM, the meeting between former CM Siddaramaiah and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge began in the national capital. Before this, Kharge also DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar's meeting with Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital has ended. Kharge will now meet Siddaramaiah, ahead of the decison on Karnataka's next CM. 

Congress leader Siddaramaiah headed to Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in the national capital for an important meeting at 6.30 pm. Currently, DK Shivakumar and Kharge's meeting is underway in New Delhi. 

According to sources, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will be meeting Siddaramaiah once again at 6.30 pm today. Currently, Kharge's meeting with DK Shivakumar is underway and they are likely to wrap up in next few minutes. 

Congress leader DK Shivakumar who is in Delhi for a crucial meeting with the high command has reached the party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in New Delhi. He is set to hold a meeting with Kharge about the CM post and explain his terms. 

Congress state president DK Shivakumar who is in New Delhi for a meeting with the high command warned a few media organisations for allegedly spreading rumors about his resignation from the party. 

He said, “A few channels are reporting that I will be resigning from the party. I will file a defamation case on them if they continue to report such fake news. Congress party is my mother and I will be with the high command. I have 135 MLAs.” 

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday said the Congress party's questions on electronic voting machines still remain. “Just because we won Karnataka and Himachal does not mean that our questions on EVMs do not remain,” he said. (PTI)

Supporters of Congress leader G Parameshwara on Tuesday staged a protest demanding that the chief minister post be given to him. Other Congress leaders including Eshwar Kandre were also known to be CM aspirants. The Congress high command is yet to announce their decision on the next Karnataka CM.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar has reached his brother and Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh's office in New Delhi. He is soon expected to meet the high command of the Congress party. 

Karnataka's Congress Chief DK Shivakumar has reached New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon for a crucial meeting with the high command, ahead of announcing the new CM candidate in Karnataka. DK Shivakumar, who is in the CM race, is set to meet Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and explain his terms. 

Congress observer Deepak Bawaria on Tuesday said that the decision on finalising the new Karnataka CM is expected by this evening. The Congress central observers report, with opinions of newly-elected MLAs, was submitted yesterday.

As Congress party leaders from newly-elected MLAs to senior officials including Rahul Gandhi flocked to Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday for a meeting on deciding the next CM of Karnataka, Pramod Tiwari was also seen arriving at the party president’s residence in Delhi, where he said the decision will be taken in a democratic manner.

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.

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.

Newly elected Karnataka Congress MLAs arrived at the party national president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence amid ongoing talks regarding the next Karnataka chief minister. (ANI)

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. (ANI)

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. (ANI)

As Karnataka awaits the Congress' decision on its next CM, DK Shivakumar, who is leaving for 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.”

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar arrived at the Bengaluru airport to leave for Delhi amid the ongoing race with Siddaramaiah to become the next Karnataka CM, where he spoke to reporters and said, “We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it...A mother will give everything to her child.” (ANI)

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.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said he is traveling to Delhi alone and that his health is in good condition. Shivakumar had cancelled his trip to the national capital on Monday on account of a stomach infection. “The Congress general secretary has asked me to come alone, I'm going to Delhi alone. My health is good,” he told reporters. He will leave for the airport shortly. (PTI)

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar will travel to Delhi today amid a suspense over the decision on the state's next chief minister. While Congress leader Siddaramaiah arrived in Delhi yesterday, Shivakumar had stayed in Bengaluru due to a stomach infection. (ANI)