Karnataka’s next CM: Congress MLAs to meet in Bengaluru; Rahul, Sonia Gandhi dialled in for discussion

Following its roaring victory in Karnataka, the Congress party named three observers to monitor the selection of the state's chief minister on Sunday. The freshly elected party MLAs from Congress will meet in Bengaluru to discuss the formation of the state's future administration and the choice of the chief minister.

Former Maharashtra CM Sushil Kumar Shinde, former General Secretary Deepak Bawaria and current General Secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh have been made the observers in Karnataka by AICC.

Observers will be present in the Congress Legislative party meeting today and will submit the report to the party's high command.

According to an India Today report, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who is scheduled to visit Delhi today, dialled Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi ahead of a key party meeting.

Responding to the question of who will be the next CM of Karnataka, Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain said, "Chief Minister will be announced within 2-3 days, and we are also preparing for the cabinet to be formed as soon as possible.”

The India Today report further added that in today's Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting, a resolution is likely to be passed, and all MLAs will leave the choice of CM to the high command. The CLP meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm today, and the newly elected have already been instructed to come to Bengaluru.

The opinion of newly elected legislators will be sought, and depending on the outcome, they might be asked to vote to elect their leader if the need arise, reported the news agency PTI. reported.

Ramalinga Reddy, Karnataka Congress working president, told ANI, “In every party, ambitions will be there. Not only DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, even MB Patil and G Parameshwara are also interested. Only one will become CM & the party's high command & MLAs will decide that. I will get a minister.”

The Election Commission of India declared the Congress the winner on Saturday after it won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. The BJP won 66 seats, and the JD(S) won 19, according to the EC website.