Kar'natakam' begins, with netas on pins and needles.

The Congress MLAs met in Bengaluru and passed a resolution giving Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge the authority to appoint the new chief minister.

Earlier, Congress central observers met with outgoing Assembly Leader Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar. Also present was AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, current AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh, and former AICC General Secretary Deepak Babaria were sent as observers by Congress President Kharge to monitor the election of the CLP leader. The Assembly elections were held on May 10, and the results showed a decisive victory for the Congress party, which won 135 of 224 seats to the BJP's 66.

Senior leaders M.B. Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Dr. G. Parameshwara, R.V. Deshpande, and H.K. Patil, as well as former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state President D.K. Shivakumar, are all vying for the position of chief minister.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the party's president, has denied any interest in the position, but sources have said anything is possible. The two most prominent candidates for the position are Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.