Siddaramaiah CM, DK Shivakumar Deputy: Congress’s 3 am success

1. The decision was announced after several days of internal wrangling, with both contenders pushing for the top job. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala parried a question whether the five-year term would be split between them, saying, “Power sharing means sharing power with the people of Karnataka, nothing else.”

2. Both the leaders expressed their commitment to work together. “The secure future of Karnataka and the welfare of our people is our top priority, and we stand united to guarantee it,” Mr Shivakumar tweeted. Siddaramaiah said, “Our hands will always be united to protect the interest of Kannadigas. The Congress party will work like a family.”

3. Sources close to Mr Shivakumar said he accepted the No. 2 position following the intervention of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and continued his work as the party’s state unit chief. Sources said the veteran leader had agreed to make the “sacrifice in the interest of the party”.

4. DK Suresh, Congress MP and Mr Shivakumar’s brother, told NDTV he was “not happy”. “My brother wanted to become the chief minister. We are not happy with the decision,” he said.

5. Siddaramaiah And Mr Shivakumar met Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal this morning. This was the first meeting between the two leaders after the tussle for the top post began. After this both the leaders went to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

6. Earlier, Mr Kharge and Rahul Gandhi made two proposals to Mr Shivakumar at a meeting in Delhi on Wednesday. But the meeting remained inconclusive, with the contender for the top post turning down both the options, sources said. The meeting took place again in the evening.

7. Besides the deputy chief minister’s post, sources said a second option was also offered to Mr. Shivakumar, under which Siddaramaiah was to hold the top post for two years, and Mr. Shivakumar to follow for three years. Will happen. But sources said that neither Mr. Shivakumar nor Siddaramaiah was ready to move to another position.

8. There is no clarity yet on whether a final decision has been taken on the post of Chief Minister by rotation or not. It is learned that the power-sharing arrangement now hinges on the performance of the Congress in Karnataka in the next year’s general elections.

9. A lot depended on this decision because of the next year’s general election. While Mr Shivakumar has followers in the state’s politically significant Vokkaligas, Siddaramaiah is supported by the Ehinda Mancha – an old social amalgamation of minorities, OBCs and Dalits, which voted overwhelmingly for the Congress.

10. Despite competing for the job, Mr. Shivakumar initially refused to rebel. “The party can give me responsibility if it wants… We have a joint house. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible person. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” he said. I won’t,” he said.

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