Rahul reaches Kharge's residence amid deliberations over new Karnataka CM | Azad Times

As Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge continues to hold meetings to decide the next Karnataka Chief Minister, former party chief Rahul Gandhi arrived at his residence on Tuesday, May 16. Party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and other senior leaders were already present at Kharge’s residence. On Monday night, party sources had said that the Congress chief will decide on the next CM of Karnataka after discussing the result of the secret ballot voting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi is currently in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla.

On Monday, all the three observers for Karnataka had submitted their report to Kharge and the meeting of the party leaders lasted for over 5 hours.

Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Karnataka assembly and former chief minister Siddaramaiah had arrived in the national capital on Monday afternoon through a special flight. Whereas state unit chief D.K. Shivakumar didn't come on Monday due to a stomach infection. He left for Delhi on Tuesday morning and is scheduled to meet Kharge.

Before leaving for Delhi from Bengaluru, he said that the party is 'God' to him. "Ours is a united house. Our number is 135 and I am a party President. Congress party is my temple. The party is like a mother. I have done my job," Shivakumar stated.

"The God and mother know what to offer to the children. I am going to meet my God in the temple. I am going alone. The General Secretary had asked me to come there alone," Shivakumar stated.

Veteran leader Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are vying for the top post.

Sources said that despite Siddaramaiah getting the majority, Shivakumar is not willing to budge. He is claiming that he had delivered the victory to the party and hence deserved the chief minister's post.

Congress had won 135 seats in Karnataka whereas ruling BJP managed to win only 66 while the JD-S, which was hoping to play the role of kingmaker, was reduced to 19 seats in the state.