Karnataka government formation: Congress to invite top opposition leaders for swearing-in ceremony

New Delhi: According to sources, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge may invite top opposition leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rae Bareilly MP Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior party leaders would attend the event. The swearing-in ceremony will take place in Bengaluru on May 20.

In 2018, when Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy was sworn in as the chief minister of the Karnataka coalition government, the ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders.

The event was attended by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Had taken. and other top leaders like Sharad Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Yadav from Janata Dal (United), Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Sitaram Yechury and D Raja of Left parties.

In 2013, Siddaramaiah was sworn in at the same venue, the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, when he became the chief minister of the state for the first time.

Whereas Siddaramaiah has been named as the new Chief Minister by Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar Will be the Deputy Chief Minister. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted a picture of himself with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and is seen raising the hands of the two leaders to indicate consensus. He wrote on Twitter, “Team Congress is determined to usher in progress, welfare and social justice for the people of Karnataka. We will implement the 5 guarantees promised to 6.5 crore Kannadigas.”

The party has also called a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Bengaluru this evening. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Shivakumar has written to all MLAs asking them to attend the meeting of newly-elected MLAs, MLCs and MPs at Indira Gandhi Bhavan, Queens Road, Bengaluru today at 7 pm.

According to sources, Congress President Kharge worked round the clock to break the political impasse over the next chief minister and arrive at a consensus for government formation. Central observers of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) have been asked to reach Bengaluru to organize the CLP meeting.

Shivakumar, who reached general secretary KC Venugopal’s residence in the national capital last evening, told reporters that the party high command had met the chief minister.

Celebration across Karnataka

Meanwhile, celebrations broke out near Siddaramaiah’s residence in Bengaluru and his native village in Mysuru district on Thursday morning after it was revealed that he would be the next chief minister. On May 20, his supporters raised slogans in his favor when the news of his taking oath as Chief Minister came. Residents of Siddaramaiah’s native village Siddaramaiah were indeed happy since Wednesday with the news that their leader would become the Chief Minister. Chief Minister again. Villagers burst crackers, raised slogans of Siddaramaiah and distributed sweets.

Security has been beefed up and banners have also been put up outside Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s residence.

The Congress won 135 seats in the elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly held on May 10, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda won, respectively. 66 and secured 19 seats.