The deal was clinched after Sonia Gandhi spoke to DK Shivakumar

New Delhi:

Karnataka Congress Chief, DK Shivakumar, has accepted the party’s proposal to be the Deputy Chief Minister of the state following former party president Sonia Gandhi’s intervention, sources claimed.

Party sources say the high command has chosen Siddaraiamah for the Chief Minister role, and Mr Shivakumar to be his deputy.

The deal was clinched after Sonia Gandhi spoke to Mr Shivakumar, who had been firm on his demand for the Chief Minister post, late last evening to resolve the deadlock. 

The Congress had been struggling to get Mr Shivakumar on board with the idea of a second term for Siddaramaiah in the top post.

Mrs Gandhi spoke to Mr Shivakumar late last evening after which he accepted the number 2 spot. 

Both Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar had met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Party General Secretary KC Venugopal yesterday – presenting their cases as the contenders for the top post. 

Mr Shivakumar had been insisting on the top post, citing his work over the last four years -after its coalition government with HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal Secular had collapsed following a mass party switch by MLAs. But he also said he would not resort to “blackmail”.