Siddaramaiah sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar his deputy
Bengaluru: Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for the second time on Saturday while Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of the state. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to both leaders at the swearing-in ceremony held at the jam-packed Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
This is the same stadium where Siddaramaiah took oath in 2013 when he became Chief Minister for the first time. Elected from Varuna Assembly seat in Mysuru Siddaramaiah is the 24th Chief Minister of the state and D.K. Shivakumar representing Kanakapura Assembly seat became Deputy Chief Minister for the maiden time.
Apart from Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, eight MLAs were sworn-in as Cabinet ministers. While all ministers took oath in Kannada, Zameer Ahmed Khan took oath in English in the name of Allah and his mother.
Top brass of the Congress party including the Gandhi family members - Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge were present on the occasion.
After taking the oath, Siddaramaiah said that people of Karnataka wanted a change in governance and the new government in Karnataka would work to fulfill the aspirations of the people. Speaking on the occasion, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi assured corruption-free rule in Karnataka and added that the Congress government would work for the welfare of the people.
The Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states including Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel attended the event.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Deputy Tejashwi Yadav, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah were also present during the swearing-in ceremony.
Other opposition leaders who were present include Sharad Pawar, Kamal Haasan.
Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan attends the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected Karnataka Government in Bengaluru.
Ahead of the ceremony, Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah were seen holding each other's hands in air as a show of strength and unity.
The Congress supporters stood outside of Siddaramaiah's residence early morning in anticipation and celebration. Posters featuring the Gandhi family, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah were put up in Bengaluru earlier today.
A leader with strong grassroots connect, Siddaramaiah has been associated with the formulation of state budgets for several years and has an eye for detail.
Congress MLA Priyank Kharge, G Parameshwara and DK Suresh - party MP and brother of Deputy-CM designate DK Shivakumar were present at the Stadium.
DK Shivakumar will continue as the Karnataka Congress president till the end of parliamentary elections.
