DK Shivakumar Postpones Delhi Visit Amid Karnataka CM Race, Cites Stomach Sickness

The mystery over Karnataka’s next chief minister continues, as the Congress party has failed to settle on a choice between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. The Congress party issued a unanimous resolution authorising the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate the next chief minister of Karnataka after a lengthy CLP meeting on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar will have a busy Monday in New Delhi as the national president of the Congress is expected to choose the next Chief Minister. They are also expected to see Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the national capital on Monday. A group of observers who attended yesterday’s legislature party meeting will also provide a report, and the views of all elected members on the CM candidate will be gathered.

Both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar supporters were spotted shouting slogans and demanding that the Congress party choose their leader as Karnataka’s Chief Minister. Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to announce his final choice soon.

But, apparently, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar amid the CM tussle in the state said he will not be travelling to Delhi on Monday citing to a stomach infection. “There are 135 Congress MLAs. I don’t have any MLAs. I’ve left the decision to the party high command,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Congress received 135 seats in Karnataka elections, whereas the Bhartiya Janata Party received only 66 seats out of 224 constituencies. Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (Secular) received only 19 seats. The results have put an end to rumours of a hung assembly, and the state now has a clear mandate for 2013.

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