Karnataka government formation | Updates

A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Thursday formally elected Siddaramaiah as its leader and Chief Minister of Karnataka.

Ending days of suspense, the Congress central leadership earlier on Thursday announced that Mr. Siddaramaiah would be the chief minister, while state party chief D.K. Shivakumar would be his only deputy in the soon-to-formed cabinet.

The meeting of newly-elected Congress MLAs, MLCs and MPs, which took place at Indira Gandhi Bhavan here was also attended by AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and two other central observers, namely former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh.

According to Mr. Surjewala, Mr. Shivakumar moved a resolution to elect Mr. Siddaramaiah as the new leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka. All the members of CLP endorsed it unanimously.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Congress leader Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka CM, a source said here on Thursday.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge invited him to participate in the swearing-in ceremony on May 20 in Bengaluru.

“The CM is likely to leave on Saturday from Ranchi to attend the ceremony and return the same day,” the source said.

Mr. Soren, who is in Delhi, had met Mr. Kharge on May 16 and congratulated him on the Congress’ victory in the Karnataka assembly elections. - PTI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Congress government in Karnataka on May 20, Janata Dal (United) spokesperson Rajib Ranjan said on Thursday.

Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is also expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony in the southern state where the Congress has notched up a morale-boosting win over the BJP after suffering a series of electoral reverses in many big states.

The ceremony may be a show of strength for opposition parties as they work to join hands to take on the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. - PTI

The Congress on Thursday hit back at the BJP for being critical of the delay in deciding a name for the chief minister’s post in Karnataka, saying it is a democratic party that believes in consensus and “not dictatorship”.

Several BJP leaders were criticising the Congress for the delay in announcing the Karnataka chief minister’s name amid hectic lobbying by Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar for the top post.

In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “2017: BJP took 8 days to announce CM of UP. 2021: BJP took 7 days to announce CM of Assam. 2022: BJP took 11 days to announce CM of Uttarakhand. 2023: Congress declared the CM & deputy CM of Karnataka 3 days after the first meeting of the newly elected MLAs, following an intensive and extensive process of consultations completely alien to the BJP.” Mr. Ramesh congratulated Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar, and hailed them as the two “great stalwarts” whose ‘jugalbandi’ is “guaranteed to transform Karnataka”. - PTI

Former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy acknowledged on Thursday that the five ‘guarantees’ of the Congress “lured” people in the May 10 Assembly elections and not the ‘Pancharatna’ programme promised by his party Janata Dal (Secular).

Speaking about the demand from various communities that the chief minister should be from among them, Mr. Kumaraswamy said a chief minister should not belong to any one community but work to improve the lives of all 6.5 crore people of the state.

He also said he would like to see how the Congress would implement those schemes and the conditions attached to avail the benefits.

Speaking about the success of the five ‘guarantees’ of the Congress, the JD(S) second-in-command said, “We have to see. Aren’t those who prepared these schemes more experienced than me? They must have made some calculations.” The Congress has promised 200 units of free electricity to all households and ₹2,000 to women heads of families every month, among other promises.

Referring to the poll outcome, Mr. Kumaraswamy said “such poor results” were not unexpected for his party. In 1999, former Prime Minister and the JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda lost from two places and the party won only 10 seats but five years later it bounced back with 58 seats.

“The same people who gave this mandate (this 2023 election) will ask for JD(S) in the coming days. Hence, I am hopeful,” he added. - PTI

Senior Congress leader G. Parameshwara on May 18 cautioned the party’s central leadership that if a Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) post is not given to a Dalit, there would be adverse reaction and it would spell trouble for the party.

The 71-year-old Parameshwara, a Dalit, was Deputy CM during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H.D. Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief (eight years).

To a question about Mr. Shivakumar having allegedly put a condition to the leadership that he should be the only DCM, Mr. Parameshwara said, “What he has said might be right in Mr. Shivakumar’s point of view, but high command’s viewpoint should be different. High Command has to decide, we expect them [high command] to...”

PTI

After four-days of hectic parleys in the national capital, the eight-time MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar, has reluctantly accepted the post of the Deputy Chief Minister, at the instance of former AICC president Sonia Gandhi. He will also continue as the president of the KPCC until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Read his profile here

ANI

“When people have given such a big mandate, we should definitely be happy and deliver and fulfil the promises. That is our main motto, agenda,” he said.

ANI

“In the Karnataka elections, on one side was the power of crony capitalists and on the other side was the power of the people and the people defeated them,” party leader Rahul Gandhi had said. “We have five promises and we will fulfill them in the first Cabinet meeting,” he added.

Click here to read Congress’ five key guarantees for the Karnataka polls

After the announcement of their names as the new Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka respectively on Thursday, Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar have both expressed their commitment to work unitedly for the welfare of the people of the State.

“Our hands will always be united to protect the interests of Kannadigas. The Congress party will work as a family to deliver a pro-people, transparent, corruption-free governance and fulfill all our guarantees,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said in a tweet with a picture of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge raising his and Mr. Shivakumar’s hand in a show of unity.

Mr. Shivakumar, who is also the State Congress president, tweeting the same picture said, “Karnataka’s secure future and our people’s welfare is our top priority, and we are united in guaranteeing that.”

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The elevation of 75-year-old Siddaramaiah as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, prior to him being sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka, is a dream come true for the veteran politician who had set his eyes on the coveted position for a second term, after a gap of five years. This comes after a bitter contestation for the top post between him and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar.

Read the full story here

The seven-time MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, D.K. Shivakumar, is among the richest politicians in the State. Hailing from a modest agrarian Vokkaliga family, his rise and dominance in Karnataka politics is the result of hard work and assiduous grassroots management, coupled with financial muscle. Over the years, he has earned his stripes as the Congress’s trouble-shooter in Karnataka.

​Read the full story here​

The Chief Minister, Deputy CM, and a group of Ministers will be sworn in on May 20. A meeting with all the newly elected MLAs has also been called today evening in Bengaluru, the Congress general secretary said.

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AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on May 18 said on Twitter that Team Congress is committed to ushering progress, welfare and social justice for the people of Karnataka.

Take a look at the Chief Ministers of Karnataka from 1956

Speaking to the media on May 18, Congress MP, and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar’s brother D.K. Suresh said, I am not fully happy but in the interest of Karnataka we wanted to fulfil our commitment...That is why D.K. Shivakumar had to accept. In future we will see, there is a long way to go. ...I wish it (CM post for DK Shivakumar) but it didn’t happen, we will wait and see.”

Arrangements were afoot at the Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru where the swearing-in ceremony will take place.

Security has been stepped up near the residence of the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly here and in and around the stadium where the ceremony will take place. -PTI

Celebrations broke out near the residence of Siddaramaiah here and at his native village in Mysuru district on May 18 morning after it emerged that he will be the next Chief Minister.

Siddaramaiah’s supporters shouted slogans in his favour as the news came out that he would take oath as the CM on May 20.

The residents of Siddaramanahundi, the native village of Siddaramaiah were, in fact, jubilant since May 17 following reports that their leader would become the Chief Minister again.

The villagers set off crackers, raised slogans hailing Siddaramaiah and distributed sweets.

His brother Sidde Gowda was confident that Siddaramaiah will be chosen for the top post.

“There’s a guarantee that Siddaramaiah will become Chief Minister. He has done well for the people. He introduced ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme giving free rice to the poor people,” Sidde Gowda told reporters in Siddaramanahundi on May 17. -PTI

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will extend an invitation to opposition leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony, sources said adding that the Gandhis, Congress Chief Ministers and senior Congress leaders will attend the event in Bengaluru. -ANI

Ending days of uncertainty and speculation, the Congress is all set to name Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.

Karnataka Congress chief, D.K. Shivakumar, who was insistent on getting the top job, will be the Deputy Chief Minister.

Their swearing in will take place on May 20.

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