Who Will Be The Next Karnataka CM? Kharge Says Party High Command Will Decide

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that the party's high command will take the final decision on appointment of the Karnataka Chief Minister.

"Our observers have gone to Bengaluru, there will be a CLP meeting once they reach. After the CLP meet, they will share their opinion with the high command, and then the high command will send their decision from here"," Kharge told news agency ANI.

Kharge also vowed to implement all 5 promises that the Congress announced in its poll manifesto.

"People of Karnataka have rejected BJP and brought the Congress party back to power. People have given us a record number of votes. We will implement all 5 promises that we made to the public in our manifesto after we form our cabinet," said Kharge.

Veteran Congress leaders Siddaramiah and DK Shivakumar have emerged as front runners for the chief minister post.

The Congress has appointed Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh, and Deepak Babaria as observers to oversee the election of the leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP).

If Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress after being expelled from JDS, gets elected as the CLP leader, this will be his second stint as the Chief Minister from the party after having occupied the coveted post for five years between 2013-18. Shivakumar had served as Minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet.

During the CLP meeting, the opinion of newly elected legislators will be sought and depending on the outcome, they might be asked to vote to elect their leader, if need arise.

Shivakumar has been openly expressing his Chief Ministerial aspirations at various events, especially the ones connected with Vokkaligas.

Notably, the Congress' has significantly improved its electoral performance in the Vokkaliga dominated Old Mysuru region (south Karnataka) and that credit largely goes to Shivakumar.

Also, there have been instances in the party that whoever has successfully led as KPCC President in election, have been the natural choice to be the CM, like in the case of Krishna and Veerendra Patil.

The Congress on Saturday made a stunning comeback in Karnataka ousting the BJP from its lone southern citadel with a comfortable majority.