Karnataka polls I Who will be new Karnataka CM? Kharge to decide

Newly elected Karnataka Congress MLAs on Sunday (May 14) unanimously passed a resolution that the party president Mallikarjun Kharge is authorised to pick the new chief minister.

In a statement, after the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting at a hotel in Bengaluru, the party said, “The Congress Legislature Party unanimously resolves that AICC President is hereby authorised to appoint the new Leader of the Congress Legislature Party.”

Also read: Karnataka polls: Cong protests after BJP candidate wins Jayanagar by 16 votes

Siddaramaiah, a former CM, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar are the two strong contenders for the chief minister’s post.

Earlier, the Congress central observers, along with AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal held a meeting with the Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

Congress president Kharge had deputed former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and former AICC general secretary Deepak Babaria as observers for the election of the CLP leader.

Also read: After Karnataka win, Congress faces tough job of picking CM

Congress scored a thumping win in the May 10 Assembly polls as it secured 135 seats out of 224, while the BJP bagged only 66.

CLP Resolution: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) unanimously resolves that AICC President is hereby authorised to appoint the new Leader of the Congress Legislature Party. pic.twitter.com/Ahyecmwbq3

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 14, 2023

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Supporters of Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar raise slogans#KarnatakaElectionResults2023 pic.twitter.com/ElUPaAE9Uk

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2023