Siddaramaiah to be next CM of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar his deputy: Report

Siddaramaiah will be the next chief minister of Karnataka, the southwestern state of India, and DK Shivakumar to take oath as deputy chief minister, news agency ANI said in a tweet. The oath ceremony will reportedly take place in Bengaluru on May 20.

The tweet mentioned that the president of the Indian National Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, arrived at a consensus for Karnataka government formation.

ANI also mentioned that the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting has been called in Bengaluru on Thursday at 7:00pm (local time).

However, the report hasn't been officially confirmed, or denied, by the Congress party as people in Karnataka await the decision on its next chief minister after a three-day wait.

News agency PTI reported that there were celebrations in the native village of Siddaramaiah and outside his Bengaluru residence on Wednesday amid reports in a section of the media that claimed that his name has been finalised for the post.

The Congress had said a decision on the chief minister is likely on Wednesday or Thursday and a new cabinet in the state will be in place in the next 48-72 hours.

The supporters of Siddaramaiah, who were gathered near the official residence of the outgoing Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, were ecstatic after some media reports claimed that his name had been finalised and just an official announcement was pending.

The supporters were holding photos of the politician and also chanted the pro-Siddaramaiah slogan. They poured milk on a life-size cutout of the former chief minister that has been erected in front of his apartment. Similar scenes were witnessed in his home district of Mysuru, and the native village of Siddaramanahundi.

Meanwhile, preparations were underway at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in the heart of Bengaluru, for the swearing-in ceremony of the new (yet-to-be-finalised) chief minister-designate, with officials inspecting the venue.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE