Karnataka government formation | Siddaramaiah is likely choice of Congress high command

The decision on Karnataka’s next Chief Minister and the new State cabinet will be taken in the next 48 to 72 hours, the Congress announced on Wednesday

The decision on Karnataka’s next Chief Minister and the new State cabinet will be taken in the next 48 to 72 hours, the Congress announced on May 17, as former party chief Rahul Gandhi held separate meetings with the rival claimants for the top post — Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D.K. Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — for the first time after the party’s big victory.

Karnataka government formation | Updates

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who enjoys the support of the majority of the newly elected legislators, is said to be the high command’s choice and this message is said to have been conveyed to both contenders. But any formal announcement can take place only when Mr. Shivakumar comes on board and gives up his demand for the top job.

Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for spreading “rumours and fake news” through a section of the media, the Congress general secretary for Karnataka, Randeep Surjewala, also warned party leaders not to issue any statement on the leadership issue. “Any out-of-turn remark made from here onward will be treated as indiscipline and action will be taken,” Mr. Surjewala said, in a statement posted on his Twitter handle.

In the past two days, both Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar have made public statements about why they are the right choice for the top job.

Sources told The Hindu that the high command is “working” on Mr. Shivakumar, who spent close to an hour with Mr. Gandhi at former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence, and then spent nearly two hours at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s official residence. Senior leaders, including Mr. Surjewala and the party’s general secretary for organisation, K.C. Venugopal, were also present.

From rotating the chief ministership in a power sharing arrangement to offering Mr. Shivakumar the Deputy Chief Minister’s post along with his KPCC president’s post, various options were being discussed in the public domain. But there was no comment from Mr. Shivakumar on any of these options, or whether he considered them acceptable.