K'taka CM swearing-in-ceremony: Mamata, KCR among invitees

NEW DELHI: Congress on Thursday invited the leaders of like-minded parties to the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar scheduled on May 20, sources said on Thursday.

According to sources, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who recently met Maharashtra Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar recently in Mumbai, have also been extended an invitation at the swearing-in ceremony.

Sources said that the invitation has also been sent to like-minded opposition parties and their leaders including Hemant Soren, Sitaram Yechuri, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Among other opposition leaders who have been invited include Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Gandhi family including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also be present on the occasion. Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states including Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will also be present.

Meanwhile, after the announcement of the chief ministerial face for Karnataka, Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday spoke to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over the phone and will stake claim to form the government today evening, sources said.

The Raj Bhavan sources said the swearing-in ceremony will take place on May 20 at 12.30 pm in Bengaluru, for which Congress MLA G Parameshwara went to Raj Bhavan as a representative of the party and met the Governor.

"Karnataka CM-designate Siddaramaiah spoke with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over the phone. Siddaramaiah wished him on his birthday and discussed the date for the swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony will be held on May 20 at 12.30 pm. Siddaramaiah today evening will stake the claim to form the Government," sources told ANI. "

Congress MLA G Parameshwara went to Raj Bhavan as a representative of the Congress Party and met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and gave information about the formation of the government by the Congress Party which has won victory in 135 seats in the 2023 elections," they added.

Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, who were camping in the national capital for days after winning the Karnataka Assembly polls, left for Bengaluru this afternoon. A Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting will be held in Bengaluru today at 7 pm.

After days of deliberation, Congress on Thursday announced that party leader Siddaramaiah will be the next Karnataka Chief Minister and DK Shivakumar will be Deputy Chief Minister. Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal made the announcement at the party headquarters in the national capital.

He said Shivakumar will continue as state Congress chief till the Lok Sabha polls. He will be the only Deputy chief minister. "DK Shivakumar will continue as the PCC president till the end of parliamentary elections. CM, Deputy CM and a group of ministers will be sworn in on May 20," Venugopal said.

The decision on the next Karnataka Chief Minister came following days of hectic parleys in Delhi after the newly-elected MLAs authorized party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to choose their leader.

Both Siddaramaiah, a former Chief Minister, and Shivakumar staked their claims to be chief minister. The party leadership held a series of meetings over the past several days and numerous formulas were mooted before a decision was arrived.

Congress bagged 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ousting the ruling BJP, which got 66 seats while the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats.