by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore
 
Former Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, who is certain to join Congress, will submit his resignation to the membership of State Assembly on Monday next, according to a former Congress Minister who spoke to Star of Mysore in the lobby of Vidhana Soudha on Thursday June 29 morning.

Sonia meets Siddharamaiah

• All clear to join Congress after Ashadha, July 15, at Davanagere in the presence of Sonia Gandhi   
• C.M. Ibrahim, A.K. Subbaiah, Kodandaramaiah and others also to join Congress 
• Siddharamaiah to quit Assembly and contest again and is likely to be the Leader of Opposition

Bangalore, Jun 29: The stage is set for the entry of former Deputy Chief Minister and AIPJD leader Siddharamaiah into the Congress.

This follows Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi's one-to-one meeting with Siddharamaiah last evening in Delhi for nearly 20 minutes at Janpath.

Before Siddharamaiah met Sonia Gandhi, the AICC(I) General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka A.K. Anotony and Sonia Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel held consultations with him.

It is significant that Sonia Gandhi did not involve KPCC President Mallikarjun Kharge in the meeting with Siddharamaiah though the Congress leader stayed at Karnataka Bhavan hardly 2 km away from Janpath.

Siddharamaiah was tightlipped when confronted by the media. He told them that he would disclose everything during his Delhi visit again next week.

The sources, however, told media that Siddharamaiah had agreed to join the Congress. He may be offered the post of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, now held by the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh.

Siddharamaiah's close aides and former Union Minister C.M. Ibrahim, former MLC A.K. Subbaiah and former MP Kodandaramaiah too would be admitted into Congress.

Siddharamaiah, who is returning to Bangalore tonight around 8.30 pm, will discuss the details of his Delhi visit with his close aides.

He is likely to quit his Assembly seat most probably tomorrow or within two or three days.

He will seek re-election from Chamundeshwari constituency which will pave the way for his nomination as Leader of Opposition.

Sonia Gandhi will officially announce the entry of Siddharamaiah into Congress in Delhi during his visit next week.

A mammoth rally will be held after July 15 (after Ashadha) in Davanagere or Bangalore to mark the induction of Siddhara-maiah into the party. Sonia Gandhi will address the rally.

'It will be 50:50'

The next Government will see two Chief Ministers if the Congress comes to power in the State.

This issue prominently figured in the meeting between Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah in Delhi yesterday.

According to the understanding, Mallikarjun Kharge will be the Chief Minister during the first half of the 5-year tenure and Siddharamaiah will succeed him for the remaining tenure.

The present JD(S)-BJP coalition too is running on the same understanding. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will step down after 20 months paving the way for B.S. Yediyurappa to take over for the remaining 20 months.

This seems to be the future trend in Ministry formation if any one party does not get the absolute majority. In J&K, this experiment is working satisfactorily.