Karnataka Congress CLP meeting on Saturday amid leadership transition

Following CM Siddaramaiah's resignation, the Karnataka Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has called a meeting for Saturday at 4 pm. Chaired by Siddaramaiah, the meeting aims to elect a new leader, with DK Shivakumar expected to be the next CM.

Karnataka CLP to Meet on Saturday

The Karnataka Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has called for a meeting on Saturday at 4 pm amid ongoing efforts to formalise the leadership transition in the state following the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

According to a letter issued by CLP Secretary Allamaprabhu Patil on Friday, the meeting will be held at the 'Sammelana Sabhangana' (Conference Hall), Room No 334, on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. The meeting will be chaired by Siddaramaiah in his capacity as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party. The letter stated that Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar, AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, Leader of the House in the Legislative Council NS Boseraju and all working presidents of the party will be present at the meeting. "Therefore, I have been directed by the Leader of the Legislature Party to request your mandatory presence and participation in this meeting without fail," the letter said.

The meeting assumes significance as the Congress prepares to elect its new legislature party leader and pave the way for the formation of a new government. Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President D K Shivakumar is widely expected to be chosen as the next Chief Minister following Siddaramaiah's resignation.

The CLP meeting comes after Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepted Siddaramaiah's resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. However, Siddaramaiah has been asked to continue as Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.

Lobbying for Cabinet Berths Intensifies

Amid the leadership transition, lobbying for ministerial positions has intensified within the Congress. Seven Congress leaders from Kolar district, including three MLAs and two MLCs, submitted a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge seeking three ministerial berths for the district in the new cabinet.

The leaders demanded a ministerial post for Bangarpet MLA SN Narayanaswamy under the Scheduled Caste (Right) category and cabinet positions for Malur MLA KY Nanje Gowda and Kolar MLA Kothur G Manjunath under the general category.

The signatories include MLAs SN Narayanaswamy, KY Nanje Gowda and Kothur G Manjunath, MLCs Naseer Ahmed and Anil Kumar, former Mulbagal Assembly candidate V Adinarayana and former District Congress Committee president K Chandra Reddy.

Speculation over the composition of the next cabinet has also intensified around senior Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi. Political circles are abuzz with discussions that Jarkiholi could be considered either for one of the Deputy Chief Minister posts or for the position of KPCC president.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)