Shivakumar vs Siddaramaiah: "Next CM" poster war breaks out after Congress' victory

After Congress' emphatic win in the Karnataka assembly election, a silent war for the next chief minister post has erupted among the supporters of two tall leaders of Karnataka Congress - State Congress chief DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.

A contest between the two top leaders has intensified with their supporters on Sunday putting up posters in support of their respective leaders.

Supporters of Siddaramaiah, who is a former chief minister of Karnataka, put up a poster outside Siddaramaiah's residence in Bengaluru, referring to him as "the next CM of Karnataka."


Similar posters were also put up outside the house of DK Shivakumar's house in Bangalore wishing him an advanced birthday which is on May 15 with writing in them "Birthday greetings to the new Chief Minister of Karnataka".

After the victory, Siddaramaiah had said on Saturday that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting would be held on Sunday where the CLP may pass a resolution leaving it to the party high command to decide the chief minister for Karnataka.

DK Shivakumar defeated JDS candidate B Nagaraju in the Kanakapura constituency by 1,22,392 votes while Siddaramaiah won the Varuna assembly seat defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) V Somanna.

In a landslide victory, Congress won 135 seats pushing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power in the only southern state it ruled, and boosting its own prospects for the electoral battles ahead. BJP managed to win just 66 seats.

Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) bagged 19 seats. Independents have won two seats while Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha won one seat each.

(Inputs from ANI)