Karnataka: Power play on for CM post, Shivakumar cancels Delhi visit, Cong says decision by Tuesday evening

DK Shivkumar will leave for delhi at 10:30 AM tomorrow in the morning. 

(reported- Vijay Laxmi)

Karnataka state Congress president D K Shivakumar will reach Delhi on Tuesday for discussion with the party leadership on the government formation in the state, his brother and party MP D K Suresh said. Amid intense lobbying for the chief minister's post, the Congress leadership called Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah -- the two frontrunners -- to Delhi for discussions on Monday. Siddaramaiah reached Delhi Monday afternoon, but Shivakumar cancelled his visit at the last minute citing health issues.

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar's brother DK Suresh arrives at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. 

Chief Minister aspirant and Karnataka state Congress president D K Shivakumar on Monday cancelled his Delhi trip, fuelling speculations that all is not well in the party over the issue of who will be CM. He cited health reasons for the change in his travel plans, hours after he had initially confirmed that he would be flying to the national capital. The senior party leader is locked in an intense power struggle with Siddaramaiah over who will lead the government, after the Congress stormed to power by winning 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. Siddaramaiah, a former CM, who had left for Delhi by Monday afternoon to meet with AICC leaders, has reached there for discussions.

After holding discussions with newly-elected Congress MLAs in Bengaluru, the party's three central observers met its president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence here on Monday evening and held deliberations over government formation in Karnataka. Sushilkumar Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria met Kharge along with general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and general secretary in-charge for Karnataka Randeep Surjewala. The six top leaders discussed the report of the observers and the views of newly-elected MLAs elicited by the three during one-on-one interactions with the new legislators held in Bengaluru late on Sunday night.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar cancelled his Delhi visit scheduled on Monday, citing stomach infection.

DK Shivakumar cancelled his Delhi tour. He will not go Delhi today to meet topp brass becuase of some personal work. 

It's my birthday today, I'll meet my family. Afterward, I'll leave for Delhi. Under my leadership, we've 135 MLAs, all in one voice said-matter (to appoint CM) is to be left to the party high command. My aim was to deliver Karnataka&I did it: K'taka Cong Pres DK Shivakumar

All eyes are now riveted on the Congress' central leadership that will pick the new Karnataka chief minister, a decision preceded by intensive consultations, one-on-one interaction with MLAs and even a 'secret ballot'. After the Congress party's stupendous victory in the May 10 assembly polls, intense lobbying for the chief minister's post in Karnataka started for former chief minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president D K Shivakumar.

The party faces the uphill task of satisfying the two camps and is working on a 'formula'. Both the top Karnataka leaders have been called to Delhi by the party high command for further consultations on government formation in the state.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah arrives in Delhi to meet the top leaders of the party as Congress engages in the process of picking the next Karnataka CM.

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar at his Bengaluru residence as his supporters gather here. He is likely to leave for Delhi today.

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar at his Bengaluru residence as his supporters gather here. He is likely to leave for Delhi today.

DK Shivkumar is also flying to Delhi to meet top brass. As per sources, he will board the flight at 4 PM. Siddaramaiah who is reaching Delhi with a few other MLAs will reach Karnataka Bhawan. 

AICC observers for Karnataka- Sushil Kumar Shinde, Deepak Bawaria and Bhanwar Jitendra Singh arrive in Delhi.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah leaves for Delhi from his residence in Bengaluru.

Sangrur court, in Punjab, summons Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a Rs 100 crores defamation case filed by Hitesh Bhardwaj, the founder of Hindu Suraksha Parishad, against Kharge for "making defamatory remarks against Bajrang Dal" during the recently concluded Karnataka elections.

Secret ballot voting was done by the newly elected MLAs to choose the chief minister. The ballot will be opened in front of the party president.

Accoring to the sources, during a one-to-one meeting yesterday, a senior MLA from Lingayat community said that the maximum number of MLAs are from Lingayat community, so the Chief Minister should be from Lingayat community. After which voting was done by ballot. Dalit and Lingayat and Muslim MLAs were in favor of making Mallikarjun Kharge the CM.

Karnataka: We have taken the views from all the MLAs, the meeting went on till 2am. We have prepared a report and will submit it to the Congress president: Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, AICC observer in Bengaluru, on the decision on the state chief minister.

"Siddaramaiah eradicated poverty from Karnataka. We want him to become the CM again," says one of the supporters outside the Congress leader's residence in Bengaluru.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar arrives at Shangri-la Hotel in Bengaluru to meet party MLAs.

"Still haven't decided whether to go or not," said KPCC chief DK Shivakumar when asked about his visit to Delhi today.

Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are likley to be in New Delhi today to meet Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge. They are also expected to meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

All observers, General Secretary Organisation and GS Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala all will go to Delhi today. They are likely to leave in the first half of the day in a charter plane. Sidharamiaha and DK shivkumar will go separately in evening.