Decision on appointment of CM of K’taka in a day or two, says Congress

A decision on the appointment of the Chief Minister of Karnataka will be taken in a day or two, AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera said on Tuesday. Khera told reporters here that the views of the newly-elected MLAs have been elicited and the central leadership is seized of the matter. Noting that the post of Leader of Opposition is equally important in every state, he sought to know when the BJP will appoint the LoP in Karnataka. “Appointing a Chief Minister is not an easy thing. It cannot be imposed from Delhi… Everybody’s view has to be taken into consideration. We have to engage with every stakeholder and then decide who the chief minister will be,” he said. “The process is on. The observers have already gone there. Met the MLAs. The MLAs have given their opinions. Now, the opinions have gone, all the record has gone to the central leadership. So, in a day or two you will know the answer,” Khera said. On government formation, the Congress leader said the BJP took seven days in Uttar Pradesh, one month in Maharashtra to put in place a cabinet and nine days in Assam. Khera was replying to a question on when a decision on the next CM of Karnataka would be announced by the party. Asked if there would be any alliance with ruling BRS in Telangana for the 2024 Parliament elections, he said Telangana is one of the states where the Congress would take on the regional parties “head on” and defeat them. Similarly, Congress cannot think of an alliance with AAP in Punjab, he added. “Head on. Direct fight which we will win.”