BENGALURU: The Congress high command has announced Siddaramaiah’s the next Chief Minister of Karnataka. DK Shivakumar has been decided as new Deputy Chief Minister.
In a long-awaited decision, party official KC Venugopal held a press conference to end tensions over the prime ministerial election. The National Congress has been debating the issue for the past five days, sparking a dispute between Karnataka State Assembly Speaker DK Sivakumar and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
The parliament won the general election in Karnataka, securing 135 out of 224 seats. After the victory, a parliamentary legislative party meeting was held in Bengaluru to elect a prime minister, but no agreement could be reached on the name of one. The MLA is split between DK Shivakumar and Sidaramaiah, with a majority reportedly supporting Sidaramaiah.
Team Congress is committed to usher progress, welfare and social justice for the people of Karnataka.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 18, 2023
We will implement the 5 guarantees promised to 6.5 Cr Kannadigas. pic.twitter.com/6sycng00Bu
However, DK Shivakumar is also believed to have played a key role in the success of the Karnataka State Congress. Despite the differences between the two leaders, their combined efforts contributed to the party’s electoral victory.
Sidharamaiah, who served as prime minister from 2013 to 2018, has been elected as the new prime minister of Karnataka. The announcement was made after consultations with UPA Chairs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and was formally announced by parliamentary speaker Malikaljun Kalge.
Meanwhile, DK Sivakumar will remain as Speaker of the Karnataka Legislature until the upcoming Sabah elections. The decision to appoint him as deputy prime minister means the party has recognized his leadership and contributions to the party’s growth in the state.
Siddharamaiah, who was first elected to the Karnataka State Legislative Assembly in 1983, served as Deputy Prime Minister of Karnataka in 1994 under the government of Janata Dal. Sidaramaiah joined parliament in 2008 after parting ways with HD Deb Gouda’s Janata Dal. He then served as Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018.
Known for his efforts to help the poor, Sidaramaire introduced several welfare programs during his tenure as prime minister. Notable among them was Varanna Bhagya Yojana who distributed 7 kg of rice to the poor and 150 grams of milk to his disciples. His efforts also led to the establishment of the Indira Canteen, which provides affordable meals to the underprivileged.
When Siddaramaiah resumes his role as Prime Minister, he will focus on his ability to lead the state and implement policies that address Karnataka’s pressing problems. With DK Sivakumar as deputy prime minister, the parliament aims to maintain a strong leadership team capable of working for the welfare and development of the country.