Congress ushers in leadership transition after Siddaramaiah’s exit; 13 ministers sworn in as the party balances caste equations, regional representation and internal power dynamics
Bengaluru: Eight-time legislator D.K. Shivakumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, marking a significant leadership transition in the Congress-led government after Siddaramaiah stepped down last week.
The 64-year-old Congress veteran was sworn in at Bengaluru’s Lok Bhavan in the presence of senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. During the ceremony, Shivakumar held a copy of the Constitution while taking the oath and invoked the name of his spiritual guru.
Senior Congress leader G. Parameshwara was inducted as the sole Deputy Chief Minister in the first round of cabinet expansion. Alongside the new chief minister, 13 ministers took oath, with the Congress indicating that additional inductions would follow in the coming days.
The cabinet composition reflects a careful balancing of regional, caste and political interests. However, several ministers inducted into the new government are widely regarded as close to Siddaramaiah, signalling the former chief minister’s continued influence within the party despite relinquishing office.
Among those sworn in were K.J. George, K.H. Muniyappa, Ramalinga Reddy, M.B. Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Eshwar Khandre, Priyank Kharge, Krishna Byre Gowda and Yathindra Siddaramaiah.
Political observers believe the first list prioritises continuity and stability while accommodating key factions within the Congress. Attention will now shift to the remaining cabinet berths and Shivakumar’s efforts to consolidate his leadership ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
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