Siddaramaiah to be sworn in as Karnataka chief minister on Saturday for second term
Posted Date – Fri, 19 May 23 at 07:50pm
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Bangalore: Siddaramaiah will be sworn in as Karnataka chief minister on Saturday for a second term, with KPCC chairman DK Shivakumar as deputy chief minister.
Some lawmakers are also expected to be sworn in as ministers along with the CM and deputy CM, although both Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were in Delhi to discuss with the party’s high command the list of ministers to be inducted into the new cabinet and the allocation of portfolios.
Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge has invited several like-minded party leaders to the swearing-in ceremony, when Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will swear in secrecy to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet at the Kanteerava Stadium at 12.30pm.
The location is the same as where Siddaramaiah was sworn in in 2013 when he first became chief minister.
The event could be a show of strength for the opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a united effort to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Earlier in Delhi, when reporters asked how many opposition leaders would attend the swearing-in, Shivakumar said, “We have asked our AICC chairperson to take care, for us, first of all the Congress chairperson and the Gandhi family, we are coming Invite them yourself.”
Congress on Thursday named Siddaramaiah as the next chief minister and state political consultative chair Shivakumar, a serious contender for the top job, as his only deputy, ending a tense standoff after lengthy negotiations between the central leadership.
A meeting of the Congressional Legislative Party (CLP) later officially elected Siddaramaiah as its leader and chief minister, after which he made his case to the Governor-General, who invited him to form a government.
The 75-year-old will become CM for the second time after a five-year tenure in 2013. Shivakumar, 61, who previously served as minister under Siddaramaiah, will also remain the party’s Karnataka president until next year’s parliamentary elections.
The first daunting task Siddaramaiah is expected to face is forming a cabinet with the right mix that will be balanced in having representation from all communities, districts, factions, as well as new and old generations of lawmakers.
With the approved number of 34 for the Karnataka Cabinet, there are too many wanting to get the ministerial seat.
Kharge, former Congress presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, several Congress chief ministers and leaders are expected to attend the event.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejash Viadav, NCP Chairman Sara De Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister Udhav Thackeray and National Conference president Farouk Abdullah were among those invited to the swearing-in ceremony.
It is expected that at the first cabinet meeting after being sworn in tomorrow, the new government may take steps to implement the five guarantees.
Congress has committed to implementing safeguards: 200 units of free electricity (Gruha Jyoti) to all households, monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to female head of household (Gruha Lakshmi) per household, free 10 kg per member of BPL households Rice (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 per month for postgraduate youth for two years, Rs 1,500 per month for diploma holders (ages 18-25) (YuvaNidhi), free public transport bus for women (Shakti), at On the first day of power in the country.
“Fulfilling our promise to the people is our top priority,” Deputy Chief Minister-designate Shivakumar said today.
Meticulous security measures have been put in place inside and outside the venue, in the presence of multiple national leaders and leaders from other states, to ensure the event runs smoothly without any hindrance, the officials said, adding that traffic flow It must also be well managed since the event will be in the city center.
A total of three platforms/stages were built and LED screens were installed for people to watch the swearing-in ceremony, sources said.
