Will Parameshwar and Shivshankarappa be Karnataka’s two deputy CMs?

Karnataka is likely to have two deputy chief minsters. The Congress is likely to push for a Dalit and Lingayat MLA for the two posts. This would be finalised at a meeting in Delhi after H D Kumaraswamy holds talks with Rahul and Sonia Gandhi.

KPCC chief, Dr. Parameshwar too hinted that there could be two deputies. Sources say that one of the deputy CMs could be Parameshwar himself. On the choice of Lingayat candidate, many in the Congress are in favour of Shamnur Shivshankarappa.

After Kumaraswamy is sworn in as CM on Wednesday, the Congress and JD(S) would take the trust vote on Thursday. The Speaker would be first be elected before the trust vote is taken. The selection of the two deputies would be taken after the floor test is won, sources say.

"I'm visiting New Delhi ... I will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the party's senior leader Sonia Gandhi," Kumaraswamy told reporters.

Based on the outcome of discussions with them, a decision will be taken on the number of Congress and JD(S) MLAs who will become ministers, Kumaraswamy added.

BS Yeddyurappa had stepped down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the state assembly as the BJP fell short of numbers, following which Kumaraswamy met governor Vajubhai Vala, and said he had been invited to form the government.

The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats.