Bengaluru: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet in Bengaluru on Saturday evening to elect its new leader, even as deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has begun consultations on the Cabinet formation.Shivakumar, in consultation with the All India Congress Committee leadership, will decide when to take oath as CM after CLP formally elects him as the leader. AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and RS Surjewala will participate in the meeting, where CLP will first record its appreciation for Siddaramaiah's services before naming the new leader, said people familiar with the matter.Both CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar returned from New Delhi on Friday after meeting party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Both held separate discussions with the central leaders on the Cabinet composition. Shivakumar also holds the position of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, and the party may choose someone from the other backward classes, Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs) for the KPCC position considering Shivakumar comes from the influential Vokkaliga community, said the people.Congress will appoint a senior leader to KPCC who will not be part of the Cabinet, they said, adding that the party had made an exception in the case of Shivakumar in May 2023 after he expressed anguish over denial of the CM's post to him.Three DatesShivakumar is said to have consulted his family astrologer BS Dwarakanath, who has suggested the "auspicious" days of Sunday (May 31), Monday (June 1) and Friday (June 5), along with time. The deputy CM will finalise a day and time based on the availability of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as he is keen to have them with him on the most important day in his political career.Shivakumar shares an excellent rapport with Priyanka Gandhi, who is said to have often pushed his case. Shivakumar actively participated in her campaign during the Lok Sabha elections two years ago.Ministers Taking OathShivakumar will take oath along with a few ministers or deputy CMs, but the names and numbers are still under discussion. Senior leaders are vying for the deputy CM's post amid speculation that the state may have more than one deputy CM.More than two names from among the SC/ST communities are doing rounds for the deputy CM's post. Within SCs, there is a stiff competition between the SC Left (Madiga) and SC Right (Holeya) MLAs.After taking oath along with a handful of ministers, Shivakumar will decide on the expansion after holding wider consultations with Siddaramaiah and AICC leaders on balancing the caste and regions, as well as rewarding political loyalties.On Friday, Siddaramaiah met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi along with his MLC son Yathindra Siddaramaiah. Rahul Gandhi again requested Siddaramaiah to reconsider his decision on the Rajya Sabha seat, but the CM politely turned down the offer, reiterating his wish to remain in the state politics. On the occasion, Siddaramaiah also discussed adequate representation for his loyal followers in the new Cabinet, besides pushing the case of his son.One of the calculations within AICC is that if Siddaramaiah accepts a Rajya Sabha role, it will add the heft of Ahinda (minorities, OBCs and Dalits) to the party at the national level. It will also help Shivakumar increase his stature with a greater sense of security and freedom.Siddaramaiah's GuidanceShivakumar said in an emotional post on X that in the coming days he hoped to receive Siddaramaiah's guidance for the welfare of the state and the strengthening of the Congress party. "Let us all move forward together for the progress of Karnataka," he said. "God does not give boons or curses. He only gives opportunities. What truly matters is what we make of those opportunities," the deputy CM said, underscoring that Siddaramaiah's life is one of the finest reflections of this thought.