DK Shivakumar Takes Oath as Karnataka Chief Minister

• DK Shivakumar sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister
• G. Parameshwara takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister
• 13-member cabinet inducted, including Yathindra Siddaramaiah
• Congress leadership attends high-profile swearing-in ceremony

GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 3rd June: Senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, bringing to a close a prolonged leadership tussle within the party that had dominated state politics for nearly two years.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar at a ceremony attended by top Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Former Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, a move widely seen as an effort by the Congress to balance caste and regional equations following the leadership transition.

A 13-member Council of Ministers also took oath alongside the new Chief Minister. The cabinet includes K.H. Muniyappa, K.J. George, M.B. Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byregowda, Priyank Kharge, U.T. Khader, Ishwar Khandre, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Byrathi Suresh and Sharan Prakash Patil.

Party sources indicated that the cabinet is likely to be expanded after the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

One of the notable moments of the ceremony was Shivakumar carrying a copy of the Constitution while taking oath, echoing a symbolic gesture adopted by several Congress leaders after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The swearing-in marked the culmination of a long-running contest for the state’s top post between Shivakumar and his predecessor Siddaramaiah.

The roots of the leadership dispute date back to 2023, when Congress returned to power in Karnataka amid reports of an informal understanding regarding rotational chief ministership. The issue remained unresolved for nearly two years before the party high command intervened.

According to party insiders, the final decision was taken after consultations involving Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra amid growing concerns over anti-incumbency and governance challenges.

Last week, Siddaramaiah stepped down from the post after discussions with the Congress leadership. Reports suggested that Rahul Gandhi advised the veteran leader to play a larger national role through the Rajya Sabha, although Siddaramaiah reportedly chose to remain active in Karnataka politics.

Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, Shivakumar met Siddaramaiah, veteran BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and personally invited them to attend the event.

The ceremony was also attended by Congress Chief Ministers including Revanth Reddy of Telangana and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh, along with several senior party leaders.

Following his elevation, Shivakumar expressed gratitude to the Gandhi family for their support throughout his political journey.

In a post on X, he credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with recognising his potential early in his political career and inspiring him to dedicate himself to public service.

“The Gandhi family has played a defining role in my political journey, not merely through leadership, but through the faith they placed in me at different stages of my life,” Shivakumar said.

With the leadership transition complete, the new Chief Minister now faces the challenge of steering the Congress government in Karnataka while balancing competing political interests within the party and addressing governance priorities ahead of future electoral contests.