DK Shivakumar to take oath as Karnataka chief minister today

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday, June 3, marking a significant political milestone in his long career and bringing to an end months of speculation over the state's leadership transition.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar at 4.05 pm at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan. A number of ministers are also expected to take oath in the first phase of cabinet formation, although the final list is yet to be officially announced.

Shivakumar, a powerful Vokkaliga leader and eight-time MLA, was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30 following the resignation of outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The leadership change came after directions from the Congress high command, paving the way for Shivakumar to assume the state's top political office.

Speaking to reporters upon his return to Bengaluru from New Delhi late on Tuesday, Shivakumar said the names being speculated in the media for ministerial positions were not final and that the Congress leadership would take the final decision on the composition of the cabinet.

"The high command will send the list of names, we will discuss it and share our opinion. The final decision will be taken in Delhi," he said.

Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Shivakumar is expected to chair his first cabinet meeting. He will later meet Congress office-bearers, district presidents, block presidents, members of the party's Guarantee Committee and other invited leaders at Bharat Jodo Bhavan.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be attended by senior Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal and party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala. Chief Ministers and senior leaders from Congress-ruled and INDIA bloc states are also likely to be present.

The event, initially planned as a grand public ceremony on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha, was shifted to Lok Bhavan and scaled down amid concerns over traffic congestion and crowd management in Bengaluru.

Sources said representatives from various sections of society, including farmers, labourers, women self-help groups, civic workers and pro-Kannada organisations, have been invited. Students from a government school in Doddaalahalli, Shivakumar's native village in Kanakapura, are also expected to attend.

Ahead of the swearing-in, intensive consultations were held in New Delhi between the Congress leadership, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah regarding the formation of the new Council of Ministers. With the Karnataka cabinet having a sanctioned strength of 34, including the Chief Minister, intense lobbying by ministerial aspirants has been underway over the past few days.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place around Lok Bhavan. Bengaluru Police have restricted entry to invited guests owing to limited seating capacity, while traffic advisories have been issued to minimise inconvenience to the public.

In view of the anticipated crowd and traffic congestion around the venue, the Karnataka government has declared a half-day holiday for employees working at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and the Multi-Storeyed Government Office Building.