Karnataka government formation: The Congress Legislature Party was held in Bengaluru today (May 14). It is to be noted that Siddaramaiah served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for five years from 2013 to 2018, and many in the party perceive him as the next logical option. But he is getting strong competition from Congress state president DK Shivakumar who is backed by national party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Just a day earlier, the party emerged victorious in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly polls held on May 10, by winning 135 seats. According to the Election Commission website, the BJP bagged 65 and JD(S) - 19 seats. Two independent candidates also won in the election. In the outgoing Assembly, the ruling BJP has 116 MLAs, followed by the Congress at 69, JD(S) 29, BSP one, independents two, speaker one and vacant six (following deaths and resignations to join other parties ahead of the polls). Basavaraj Bommai submitted his resignation to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot as Karnataka Chief Minister, following BJP's defeat in the Assembly polls. The Governor has accepted the resignation, an official release said.
