Karnataka election result news: The Congress has registered a thumping victory in the tightly contested Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023. The victory in the southern state is not only a big boost for the party leadership, it will also certainly serve as glue to galvanise the Opposition led by the Congress to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
KARNATAKA ELECTIONS 2022: FULL COVERAGE
Till the time of publishing this article, the Congress has won/leading on 137 seats, BJP 62 and Janata Dal-Secular 21, as per the Election Commission of India's data.
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Who will be the CM?
Having completed the tough task of winning the election, the Congress would have wanted to take a sigh of relief, however, it now faces another daunting task of picking the CM face. The grand old party now has to choose between two of the veteran state leaders - Siddaramaiah or DK Shivakumar.
DK Shivkumar's supporters believe that the leader played a pivotal role in getting Vokkalinga votes being shifted to Congress in Old Mysore region, hence he should be made the CM.
They are citing 1999 assembly elections when SM Krishna, who was the then state president of Congress, was made the CM due to parties penetration in the Vokkalinga votes.
Shivakumar's supporters cite Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who had risen from NSUI to Youth Congres to party president. His supporters are of the view that similar to Sukhu, Shivakumar too has risen from ranks hence is the best candidate for chief ministership. Congress MP and DK Shivakumar's brother DK Suresh has already demanded his brother be made the CM.
On the other hand, Siddaramaiah's supporter believe he is a veteran politician, with a clean image and has administrative experience, thus best suited for the top chair.
Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that for the interest of the state his father should become the chief minister. "We will do anything to keep BJP out of power...In the interest of Karnataka, my father should become the CM," he said.
"This (election result in Karnataka) will be a stepping stone for Congress' victory in 2024," Siddaramaiah said, losing no time in sending the signal that he has set his sights set on the future.
In the run up to the elections, Siddaramaiah's appeal was sombre. "This is my last election. I will retire from electoral politics", the senior Congress leader had repeatedly said.
