'Announcement on K'taka CM likely today or tomorrow': Surjewala

NEW DELHI: As the suspense over the naming of the next Karnataka Chief Minister continued on Wednesday with state unit Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar once again meeting INC President chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said that "deliberations are still on and the next chief ministerial candidate will be announced today or tomorrow".

Speaking to the media outside Kharge's residence, where Shivakumar had come to meet the party president for the second time in two days, Surjewala, who is also the Karnataka Congress in-charge, said: "Deliberations are currently underway by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Whenever the party takes a decision, we will inform you. In the next 72 hours, there will be a new Cabinet in Karnataka."

He also urged the media not to speculate or spread rumours and stay away from fake news.

"Don't pay heed to fake information and rumours being spread by the BJP," he said.

Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Surjewala said the party takes around 10-15 days to decide on the chief ministerial post, "but here, the Congress president is holding deliberations to select the new chief minister".

He also said that the next Congress government in Karnataka is committed to fulfilling the five guarantees it made to the people of the state.

"We will implement the five guarantees as promised by Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi," he said.

He also said that the party will ensure there is no "40 per cent commission government" in the state.

Earlier on Wednesday, Shivakumar had met Rahul Gandhi for over an hour. Siddaramaiah also met the former Congress president.

On Tuesday evening, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had also met Kharge separately.

The Congress president till now has not made any announcement regarding the new Chief Minister in Karnataka.

However, it has been learnt that many people are in favour of Siddaramaiah for the top post.

Kharge is likely to make an announcement about the new Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday or Thursday after discussing the observers' report with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Congress won 135 seats in Karnataka whereas the 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.