Bengaluru, June 3 — Congress leader DK Shivakumar was sworn in as Karnataka’s 34th chief minister on Wednesday at the Glass House of Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru, ending months of speculation surrounding a power-sharing arrangement with his predecessor Siddaramaiah.
An eight-time legislator and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Shivakumar’s oath completes a leadership transition that began last week when Siddaramaiah stepped down. He took the oath invoking the name of Gangadhara Ajjayya, the late seer of Sri Kadasiddeshwara Mutt in Nonavinakere, and was accompanied by 13 legislators sworn in as ministers.
G. Parameshwara, MLA from Koratagere in Tumakuru and former Home Minister, was elevated to Deputy Chief Minister — his second stint in the role, having previously served as DCM for around 14 months during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2018–19.
Among those who took ministerial oaths were Satish Jarkiholi, Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, and Priyank Kharge. The new cabinet reflects careful caste balancing, with three Vokkaliga ministers including Shivakumar himself, three Lingayats, three Dalits, two Kurubas, and one representative each from the Valmiki-Naika, Muslim, and Christian communities.
Notable absentees from the new cabinet include Dinesh Gundu Rao, the outgoing health minister; HK Patil, who held the law and parliamentary affairs portfolio; and BZ Zameer Ahmed, who faces allegations of undermining the party during a recent by-election.
The swearing-in was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, among other senior leaders.
As Shivakumar begins his tenure, political observers are already focused on whether he can leverage his organisational strength and national profile to deliver results ahead of the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls
Source: UNI