DK Shivakumar Set To Become Karnataka Chief Minister 

BENGALURU- Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D.K. Shivakumar has been unanimously elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and will take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3.

The announcement came after a CLP meeting at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru attended by outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (Organization) and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal, and AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.

K.C. Venugopal said Shivakumar would meet the Governor to stake claim to form the government ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

The CLP unanimously authorized the Congress high command to choose its leader, following which the party leadership proposed Shivakumar’s name. Siddaramaiah proposed Shivakumar’s name during the meeting and senior Congress leader G. Parameshwara seconded the proposal.

“The CLP unanimously elected D.K. Shivakumar as its leader,” Venugopal said.

He said speculation about internal differences and a power struggle within the Karnataka Congress had proved unfounded.

Venugopal also credited Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi for ensuring a smooth leadership transition.

Reacting to his elevation, Shivakumar dedicated the post to Congress workers across Karnataka.

“It is not I who is becoming the Chief Minister; it is the party workers who are becoming the Chief Minister,” Shivakumar said while interacting with reporters in Bengaluru.

He said party workers were celebrating because he had been associated with the Congress since his days as a student leader in 1979.

Shivakumar also said he and Siddaramaiah would travel to New Delhi for consultations with the party leadership ahead of the formation of the new government.

On the composition of the new Cabinet, Shivakumar said the decision would be taken by the Congress high command. (IANS)