No race for CM face, Cong to go for K'taka polls with collective leadership

After long deliberations and discussions with the Karnataka leaders in Delhi, the Congress party is all set to move with the collective efforts to win the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Congress legislative party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held meetings along with other leaders with the top leadership of the party at the residence of Rahul Gandhi for two days to chalk out future strategies for the upcoming polls. AICC Karnataka in charge Randeep Surjewala was also present in the meeting.

According to sources, one of the factions of state leadership wants the party should not declare face for the Chief Ministerial candidate and should go with the collective leadership in the upcoming polls.

Congress feels that this time collective efforts are much needed to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state and it is very necessary to go united in the poll battle to win the important state in the South, said sources.

Karnataka Congress will soon be launching the campaign programme in the state.

The Assembly elections in Karnataka are slated for next year.

Notably, BJP won three Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, the Congress got one seat and the Janata Dal-Secular drew a blank in the results of the biennial elections to the upper House. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was elected to Rajya Sabha. However, the second candidate put by Congress lost the election.