For birthday boy DK Shivakumar, Monday could be special for another reason – if Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge names the party’s state president as Karnataka‘s next chief minister.
In the morning, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief met with his supporters, who gathered outside his residence in Bengaluru to greet him on his birthday. Scores of Congress supporters waited for hours with cakes to wish the Congress leader who is a front-runner for the chief ministerial post.
“We have passed a one-line resolution. We will leave it to the party’s high command. I have not decided to go to Delhi yet. I have done whatever job I have to do. I don’t know what gift the high command will give on my birthday but the people of Karnataka have given us the numbers,” Shivakumar told reporters.
“On my birthday, I have to meet a lot of people… I have rituals at my home on the occasion,” the Congress leader added.
Shivakumar was given flower bouquets before he proceeded to the Shagri-La hotel in Bengaluru for a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party Meeting.
“I am celebrating the birthday of Shivakumar for 20 years. I am his close aide. Every year the cake is sported with a message that you are the future CM,” news agency ANI quoted Shamsher Beig, who also waited for hours to wish his favourite leader, as saying.
After meeting his supporters, Shivakumar went to Shangri-la Hotel in Bengaluru to meet party MLAs.
On Sunday night, Shivakumar tweeted a picture celebrating his birthday with Siddaramaiah and his other party colleagues. “My life is dedicated to serving the people of Karnataka. On the eve of my birthday, the people of Karnataka gave me the best birthday gift possible. Thanks to my Congress family for their warm greetings,” Shivakumar tweeted.
After Congress’s thumping victory (135 seats) in the assembly election, both Shivakumar and the party’s senior leader Siddaramaiah are eyeing the post of chief minister.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday late night said Kharge will not take long and announce the name of the next chief minister soon.
