Amid intense speculation over the next chief minister of Karnataka, the Congress has said a decision on it is likely on Wednesday or Thursday and a new cabinet in the state will be in place in the next 48-72 hours.
The Opposition party asserted that Karnataka will have a five-year-long stable government and urged people not to believe in speculation and “fake news” which it alleged was being peddled by the BJP.
Addressing the media outside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s 10 Rajaji Marg residence where hectic parleys are on to decide on the party’s chief ministerial pick with Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar being the top contenders for the post, AICC in-charge of state Randeep Surjewala said the party chief has been authorised to appoint the leader of the legislature party and that is why deliberations are underway.
“Do not resort to any speculation, whenever a decision is taken by the Congress president, we will be happy to inform you. I am only here to quash multiple rumours and hearsay …that are being played on multiple news channels. Please don’t believe in it,” Surjewala told reporters.
Whenever Congress takes a decision either Wednesday or Thursday, the party will be the first one to inform the media, he said.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
Meanwhile, even as hectic parleys were on in New Delhi within the Congress central leadership to choose the new Karnataka CM, there were celebrations in the native village of Siddaramaiah and outside his Bengaluru residence on Wednesday amid reports in a section of the media that claimed that his name has been finalised for the post.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah’s supporters who had gathered near official residence of the outgoing Leader of Opposition in the Assembly here, were jubilant, as some media outlets claimed that his name had been finalised and only an official announcement was awaited.
Holding pictures of their leader they shouted slogans praising Siddaramaiah, and poured milk on the life size cut out of the former Karnataka CM that has been put up in front of his residence here.
Similar scenes were witnessed in his home district of Mysuru, and native village of Siddaramanahundi.
His followers and well-wishers set off crackers, danced, distributed sweets and celebrated by pouring milk on his huge cut-outs erected on the roadside.
Meanwhile, preparations were underway at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in the heart of Bengaluru, for the swearing in ceremony of the new (yet-to-be-finalised) Chief Minister-designate, with officials inspecting the venue.
In fact, this is the very venue where Siddaramaiah took oath as the Karnataka CM for the first time in 2013.
Read more: Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar meet Kharge; Rahul joins deliberations on Karnataka CM decision
