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Karnataka News Highlights: The Congress party is all set to form the government in Karnataka after winning majority and the debate now shifts to who will be crowned the next chief minister between veteran Siddaramaiah and strategist DK Shivakumar. While Siddaramaiah is a veteran with previous administrative experience, Shivakumar has been hailed as a strategist for being instrumental for the party's in-roads with the dominant Vokkaliga community this election.
Notably, this is the Congress' best electoral performance in the state since 1989. As per the results declared by the Election Commission in 223 out of the 224 seats, the Congress has won 135 seats, the BJP's tally has been reduced to 65 and the JD(S) 19. Meanwhile, the party's victory in the Karnataka assembly polls is likely to help get its candidates elected in three of the four Rajya Sabha seats from the state falling vacant next year.
For the BJP, this comprehensive defeat in Karnataka after a campaign of contrasts has left it with much to ponder as the two rivals prepare for a direct contest in three more state polls this year in the run-up to the all-important 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The southern state has sent a warning to the BJP, experts feel, noting that the party has lessons to learn from Karnataka.
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" Congress party will stand up to the pledge made to 6.5 crore Kannadigas...the observers have submitted their written report to the Congress President...he will look into the report, will hold deliberations with state leaders & other central leaders and will take an appropriate call": Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC in-charge of Karnataka
Karnataka Congress DK Shivakumar after cancelling his a visit to Delhi due to illness, says he will try to travel to Delhi tomorrow, vows, "we are all one and we will work together."
The decision on the new chief minister of Karnataka would be taken by tomorrow evening, according to Congress leaderHK Patil, who also said that talks are taking place at party president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in Delhi.
Congress politician Subodh Kant Sahay is at a five-star hotel in Delhi to meet Congress leader Siddaramaiah over Karnataka CM talks.
According to CNN-News18's sources, Siddaramaiah will take over as chief minister of Karnataka.
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar announced he will not be travelling to Delhi today due to illness. He added that he has left decision on the choice of the state chief minister to the partyhigh command.
- 'I've a stomach infection and will not be travelling to Delhi today.'
' There are 135 Congress MLAs. I don't have any MLAs. I've left the decision to the party high command.'
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to consult with senior Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, before making a decision over the Karnataka chief minister.
The party is getting ready to make the swearing-in ceremony a big show of strength.
Sushil Shinde, Deepak Babaria, and Jitender Singh - observers for the election of the CLP Leader of Karnataka arrive atMallikarjun Kharge's residence in Delhi to deliver the report on the MLAs' views on the nominee for chief minister of Karnataka.
Karnataka PCC chief D K Shivakumar before leaving for Delhi said all 135 MLAs agreed that the party high command should choose the next chief minister.
- 'Congress central leadership has called me and Siddaramaiah to Delhi'
- 'Under my leadership, we've 135 MLAs, all in one voice said-matter (to appoint CM) is to be left to the party high command'
- 'My aim was to deliver Karnataka & I did it'
-'I believe in one thing – a single man with courage makes a majority. I’ve proved it. I don’t want to disclose what all has happened in the last five years. I’ll disclose it in future'
- 'When all our MLAs left the party (2019 JD(S)-Cong coalition govt), I didn't lose my heart'
-CongressleaderSiddaramaiaharrives in Delhi to meet the top leadership of the party as Congress engages in the process of picking the nextKarnatakaCM
