Siddaramaiah is CM of Karnataka, D K Shivakumar will be Dy CM, everything ends well with intervention of Sonia

BENGALURU: The Congress announced Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister of Karnataka after four days of dramatic moves. DK Shivakumar will be the lone Deputy Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah was officially announced as the chief minister in a press conference convened by K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala. K C Venugopal said there is no term system and Shivakumar stood by the party decisions.

‘Siddaramaiah is a very experienced leader. He had worked tirelessly during election time. DK Shivakumar is the biggest asset of the Congress in Karnataka. The two leaders want to become the chief minister and they are eligible for it. The success in Karnataka was the result of Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi. Thanking Rahul, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,' said Venugopal.

Shivakumar has been given key portfolios including home affairs and will continue as Karnataka PCC president till the next Lok Sabha elections. The swearing in ceremony will be on Saturday. A few ministers are likely to be sworn in along with the chief minister on that day, but their names have not been disclosed.

Shivakumar, who had taken an uncompromising stand for the post of chief minister, yielded to Sonia Gandhi's persuasive moves. Shivakumar initially rejected the high command's solution formula of giving first two years to Siddaramaiah and the remaining three years to Shivakumar. With this, the high command was in a crisis as they could not name the chief minister. Following this, Sonia directly intervened and Shivakumar accepted it. The high command also offered key portfolios including home. With this, the crisis was resolved.