D K Shivakumar Takes Oath As 25th Chief Minister Of Karnataka

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar took the oath as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday amidst loud cheers from Congress workers.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar in a simple ceremony held at the Glass House on the premises of Lok Bhavan. Following the footsteps of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar held a copy of the Constitution while taking his oath in the name of the late seer Gangadhara Ajjayya of Nonavinakere Mutt, whom he credits for his political growth.

As he started reading the oath, "I, D K Shivakumar, will take oath as the CM," the glass house filled with loud cheers as his followers chanted his name and raised slogans.

Clad in a silk kurta and lungi with a shalya flowing down from his neck, Shivakumar performed a Sashtanga Namaskar from the podium to the people of the state before taking the oath. He also felicitated all the leaders present on the dais.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice Vibhu Bhakru, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukku, Kerala CM V D Satheesan, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and other senior Congress leaders took part in the oath-taking ceremony.

About 30 swamijis from different mutts, religious leaders from other religions, actors, businessmen and well-wishers of Shivakumar were present among the audience. Along with Shivakumar, G Parameshwara took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. It is his second stint as Deputy Chief Minister. He was deputy to then Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the Congress-JDS coalition.

Besides, MLAs K H Muniyappa, K J George, Ramalinga Reddy, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byregowda, U T Khader, Priyank Kharge, Sharanprakash Patil, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Eshwar Khandre and Byrathi Suresh took oath as ministers.

Barring U T Khader and Yathindra Siddaramaiah, all others were ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet too. The new Chief Minister is expected to allocate portfolios to his ministers in the next few hours. Parameshwara is likely to get the revenue department and Priyank Kharge the home department. Jarkiholi, George, M B Patil and Sharanprakash Patil are likely to continue with the portfolios they held under Siddaramaiah.

PM Modi congratulates DKS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shivakumar on his elevation as the CM. In a post on X, the PM wrote: "Congratulations to Shri D K Shivakumar Ji on taking the oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka. Best wishes for his tenure. The Centre will work closely with the Karnataka Government for the welfare of the people."

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy also congratulated Shivakumar, saying the latter would make best use of the opportunity.

Shivakumar does the Modi act

Shivakumar kneeled and touched his head to the steps leading to his office before entering the Vidhana Soudha for the first time after taking over as the CM. This reminded people of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's similar act in 2014. Modi had also touched the steps of the old Sansad Bhavan with his head before entering it for the first time after being elected as the leader of the BJP parliamentary party.

Before entering the Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar garlanded the statues of Dr B R Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and others installed on the premises.

Imran Mirza, a Youth Congress worker from Bengaluru, said the moment was historic for party workers who had stood by Shivakumar for many years.

"DK Shivakumar has worked tirelessly for the party. We hope his government will focus on education, employment and opportunities for young people. We also expect the government to address issues concerning minorities and fulfil its promises," she said.

Common People React

Mohammed Asif, a social activist, said many Muslims were hopeful that pending commitments relating to the 4 per cent reservation and other concerns affecting minority communities would receive attention.

"We want development for all sections of society. We also expect the government to review laws such as the anti-cattle slaughter legislation and work towards strengthening constitutional rights," he said.

Geetha D'Souza, a student leader, said the new Chief Minister had an opportunity to bring people together. "Young people want peace, progress and jobs. Karnataka should become a model of communal harmony and inclusive development," she said.

Yonus Jones, a businessman, hoped the government would focus on easing the burden on common citizens. "The rising costs of electricity, water and other essentials have affected families and businesses. People expect relief and practical governance," he said.

Youth Congress activist Kavya Ramesh said she expected a more responsive administration. "People want efficient governance and quicker solutions to public issues," she said.

Farmer Prakash Gowda urged the government to pay attention to rural development and agriculture, while government employee Shobha Narayan said the administration should focus on controlling price rises and strengthening public services. Harpreet Singh, an entrepreneur, said Karnataka needed a peaceful environment for growth.

"People are tired of communal tensions and hate campaigns. The new government should strengthen social harmony and create an atmosphere where everyone feels secure," he said.

As celebrations continued across Bengaluru, supporters expressed optimism that the new Chief Minister's tenure would bring administrative reforms, social harmony and a renewed focus on addressing the concerns of ordinary citizens.

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