Congress Chief Kharge will extend invitations to opposition leaders for the swearing-in ceremony to the newly formed Karnataka government

18-05-2023 : In a significant development, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to extend invitations to opposition leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Karnataka Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, according to reliable sources. The ceremony, scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on May 20, is anticipated to witness the presence of eminent personalities such as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rai Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other senior party leaders.

This move reflects a desire to foster unity and inclusivity within the political landscape of Karnataka, much like the swearing-in ceremony of Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister of the coalition government in 2018. On that occasion, a constellation of opposition leaders graced the event, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee (Chief Minister of West Bengal), Chandrababu Naidu (then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh), Arvind Kejriwal (Chief Minister of Delhi), Pinarayi Vijayan (Chief Minister of Kerala), and prominent figures like Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party), Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal-United), Tejashwi Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Sitaram Yechury, and D Raja (Left parties).

The venue for this forthcoming ceremony holds historical significance, as it was the same Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru where Siddaramaiah took his oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for the first time in 2013. The Congress party is now poised to appoint Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister, with Karnataka Congress Chief DK Shivakumar assuming the role of Deputy Chief Minister. The official announcement of these appointments is expected to be made during a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bengaluru later today.

To ensure a smooth transition of power, Congress President Kharge has invested considerable effort to overcome the political impasse and reach a consensus for government formation. Central Observers from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) are being deployed to Bengaluru to oversee and facilitate the CLP meeting. Shivakumar, after his meeting with general secretary KC Venugopal, confirmed that the party high command had taken the final decision regarding the chief ministerial post.

In the backdrop of these developments, security measures have been heightened, and banners have been put up outside Siddaramaiah’s residence. In the recent Karnataka Assembly elections held on May 10, the Congress emerged victorious with 135 seats out of the 224-member assembly, toppling the ruling BJP, which secured 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) won 19 seats.

This forthcoming swearing-in ceremony not only signifies the formation of a new government in Karnataka but also exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and shared responsibility among opposition leaders, marking a potential turning point in the state’s political landscape.