Broad Arrangement On Term-Sharing In Karnataka, But There Is A 2024 Twist

The Congress managed to successfully broker a deal in Karnataka and both Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar attended a meeting of the legislature party in Bengaluru on Thursday.

While it has been rumoured that there would be a power sharing arrangement, nothing has been confirmed officially. Sources tell OneIndia that the 50:50 deal would largely depend on the performance of the Congress party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats up for grabs and the BJP currently holds 26 of them.

Both leaders on Thursday were given a rousing welcome in Karnataka, following which they met with Governor, Tawarchand Gehlot.

Both leaders are expected to be back in Delhi to discuss the names of the ministers with the central leadership.

There were plenty of deliberations before a final conclusion could be reached. Apparently D K Shivakumar was refusing to relent, but following the intervention of Sonia Gandhi he is said to have agreed to be the deputy chief minister. Sources also said that he would have a pick of six persons as ministers apart from deciding on what portfolio he wants.

While Shivakumar said that he is abiding by the decision in the larger interest of the party, his brother, D K Suresh said that they were not happy. We were expecting the post of chief minister, he said.

Keeping the flock united is very crucial for the Congress party. The upcoming elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would all have a bearing on how the situation in Karnataka. For now, all is well in the Karnataka Congress and on whether Shivakumar gets to share the term would all depend on how the elections in Karnataka play out for the party in 2024.