DK Shivakumar sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister, takes oath holding Constitution

Karnataka Congress heavyweight and KPCC president D K Shivakumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru.

The 64-year-old leader took the oath in the name of the revered seer Gangadhar Ajja while holding a copy of the Constitution. Thirteen ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister designate G Parameshwara, also took oath alongside him. Parameshwara, who had served as Home Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government, had also held the position of deputy chief minister in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government under Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy from May 2018 to July 2019.

A prominent Vokkaliga leader, Shivakumar, was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30 following Siddaramaiah's resignation as chief minister two days earlier.

Shivakumar had previously served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government and now takes charge of the state at a crucial juncture ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The list of ministers in Shivakumar's cabinet include:

• G Parameshwara (Deputy CM)
• K H Muniyappa
•  K J George
• M B Patil
•  Ramalinga Reddy 
• Satish Jarkiholi
•  Krishna Byregowda 
• Priyank Kharge 
• U T Khader 
• Eshwar Khandre 
• Yathindra Siddaramaiah
• Byrathi Suresh 
• Sharan Prakash Patil

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, outgoing CM Siddaramaiah, AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, CMs of Congress ruled states, several top Congress leaders, dignitaries, and invitees were present at the swearing-in.

Religious leaders from all major communities, including heads of various maths, were also present.