Newly elected Congress MLAs in Karnataka on Sunday authorised party president Mallikarjun Kharge to pick the next chief minister, party sources said. The Congress Legislature Party, which met at a private hotel here Sunday evening, passed a unanimous resolution authorising the party chief to pick its leader.

‘High command to decide’

Earlier, Kharge said AICC observers will convey the opinion of the party’s MLAs in Karnataka to the high command which will then take a decision on the chief ministerial pick. He also asserted that everything has gone smoothly for the party in the assembly polls and the government will be formed soon. The newly elected assembly in Karnataka has to be put in place as the term of the previous assembly expires on May 24.