The anticipation surrounding the Chief Minister's position in Telangana remained unresolved due to a lack of consensus among newly-elected MLAs within the Congress party. The delay led to the postponement of plans for the swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
A meeting of the freshly elected MLAs had delegated the responsibility to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). However, as the day progressed, no official announcement emerged from the leadership, causing anxiety among supporters, particularly those backing A. Revanth Reddy, considered a strong candidate for the role.
In response to the delayed decision, some supporters of Revanth Reddy staged a protest outside Raj Bhavan, urging his immediate swearing-in as Chief Minister, prompting police intervention.
Preparations were underway at Raj Bhavan for the expected oath-taking ceremony of Revanth Reddy, but with no official confirmation from the party leadership, the plans were halted, and officials departed from Raj Bhavan.
Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan dissolved the second Legislative Assembly, paving the way for the swearing-in of the new Chief Minister. However, the absence of a decision on the CLP leader's appointment delayed further proceedings.
Amidst these developments, Congress leaders intended to meet the Governor, formally informing her of the CLP leader's identity and requesting her to facilitate the Chief Minister's oath-taking.
D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and AICC observer, who had been in Hyderabad, departed for Delhi to convey the MLAs' perspectives to the high command.
Following the CLP meeting, a unanimous resolution empowered Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate the Congress Legislature Party leader. Shivakumar highlighted the unanimous decision and emphasized their commitment to abide by the party's verdict, indicating the continued engagement with legislators for their opinions.
While Revanth Reddy emerged as a prominent contender for the Chief Ministerial role, other figures like Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Damodar Rajanarasimha were also viewed as potential contenders for the post, adding complexity to the decision-making process within the party.
(With Agency Inputs)
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