Legislative party to meet after Congress reaches Karnataka power-sharing deal

The Congress has called a meeting of its legislative party on Thursday ahead of the expected announcement of Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka chief minister and DK Shivakumar as his deputy.

Shivakumar, who is the Congress’s state chief, issued a letter convening the meeting at 7pm in Bengaluru. A Congress functionary, who did not want to be named, said some important portfolios were also to be discussed at the meeting.

The meeting was called after chief ministerial contenders Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar agreed to a compromise formula late on Wednesday. Siddaramaiah is set to get the state’s top elected post while Shivakumar will be his deputy and remain the state party chief as the Congress resolved a stalemate over the matter after three days of negotiations.

The formula was agreed upon after a meeting with former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

A Congress lawmaker said the final details will be announced after the legislative party meeting. “…there is a power-sharing formula that both parties have agreed upon. Most importantly, there is no rift in the party.”

Shivakumar said the Congress has a commitment to the people of Karnataka. He cited the 2024 national polls and said he agreed to the power-sharing formula in the larger interest of the party. “Ultimately, there is a responsibility towards what we have a committed to the people of Karnataka and we have to deliver,” said Shivakumar

There was no clarity on whether there will be a rotation period for the chief ministerial post. People close to Shivakumar claim there will be, with both leaders getting 2.5 years each but there is no confirmation on this. HT learns that a discussion on this may have been deferred till after the 2024 national polls. Shivakumar’s people are expected to get key posts even as portfolios are yet to be decided.

But while the details will emerge soon, what is clear right now is that a deal has been reached.

Preparations were separately underway in Bengaluru for the new government’s oath-taking ceremony, which is expected to take place on Saturday.

The Congress won its biggest victory in Karnataka since 1989 on Saturday, trouncing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on its way to securing 135 seats in the 224-member assembly.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were the party’s main campaigners and took care to project a united front on the election trail. But since Sunday evening, when the Congress legislature party passed a one-line resolution empowering the high command to pick the next chief minister, their clashing ambitions have spilled out in the open, creating a logjam.

The party pointed out that such protracted talks were common in Indian politics.

Siddaramaiah, 75, is seen as the party’s most popular leader in the state, the architect of its successful Ahinda strategy of building a coalition of backward groups, Dalits, and Muslims. He commands the support of a majority of the elected lawmakers. He comes from the Kuruba community and is a key other backward class (OBC) face.

Shivakumar, 60, does not have as big a mass base but is a key organisation and resource man. He is also the party’s chief troubleshooter, having saved Congress governments and safeguarded legislators in the past. He hails from the dominant Vokkaliga community, which was critical to the party’s superlative performance in the southern parts of the state, and has the backing of some influential mutts.

Congress leaders earlier shuffled in and out of meetings that ran late into Wednesday night as the party attempted to strike a united front. They scotched rumours of a rift in the party and asked leaders to not make out-of-turn statements to the media, saying that the government will be formed within the next 48-72 hours.

The Congress sought to resolve the impasse without public acrimony as the party wants to carry the momentum from its victory in Karnataka over to assembly elections scheduled later this year, and the 2024 polls.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have camped in Delhi for negotiations. Siddaramaiahmet Rahul Gandhi at Sonia Gandhi’s residence at 11.30am on Wednesday. Shivakumar met Rahul Gandhi an hour later. Later in the day, Shivakumar met Kharge, his second meeting with the senior leader in as many days.