D K Shivakumar has been elected the new leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP), following a resolution moved by Siddaramaiah. AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala arrived in Bengaluru Saturday to attend the CLP meeting in Vidhana Soudha’s conference hall to elect its new leader, who will succeed Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.

The Congress Legislature Meet (CLP) was convened at 4pm today to discuss leadership and organisational issues. D K Shivakumar will take the oath as chief minister of the state on June 3.

This development follows Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s acceptance of Siddaramaiah’s resignation and the dissolution of the Council of Ministers, while asking Siddaramaiah to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until a new arrangement is decided.

State Congress leaders, legislators and workers received both leaders at the Kempegowda International Airport ahead of the crucial meeting.

D K Shivakumar met Venugopal and Surjewala at a hotel ahead of the meeting, sources told news agency PTI.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar met Governor Gehlot at Lok Bhavan.

Shivakumar met the Governor to informally discuss the swearing-in of the new CM and the Council of Ministers, including the dates for it, news agency PTI reported.

Subsequently, he also visited the Bengaluru unit of Sri Kadasiddeshwara Mutt (often referred to as the Ajjaiah Math). Shivakumar has a deep, long-standing spiritual connection to the Math, which is actually located in Nonavinakere, Tumakuru district.