The victorious Congress party in Karnataka will go through a much painful exercise today of electing its Chief Minister for the state. This affair will be handled by AICC observers-Union Ministers Jitender Singh, AK Anthony, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Madhusudhan Mestry, Screening committee chairman Luiznho Faleiro.

The front runners for the top post of the state are-senior leader Siddaramaiah and union minister Mallikarjuna Kharge. There are several others like KPCC president RV Deshpande, former working president of KPCC DK Shivakumar, senior leaders Shivashankarappa and TB Jayachandra. KPCC Chief G.Parameshwara, who was also among the front runners, was left behind in the race after he was defeated in the elections. Union minister SM.Krishna’s name was also surfaced in this list, but faded away in course of two days time.

Siddaramaiah, who is considered as the most favorable candidate for the CM post is facing stiff competition from Mallikarjuna Kharge. While, Karge followers are trying to eliminate Siddaramaiah by underlining his ‘outsider’ tag for taking plunge into Congress in year 2006, Siddaramaiah group plays sympathy card by announcing that this will be his leg of his political career, after which he wants to retire. The general belief is Siddaramaiah likely to be elected to CM post in today’s crucial meeting.

Congress has won a comfortable majority of 121 seats out of 224 members. Hence, there are no out side pressures on it in this top game.