DK Shivakumar to take oath on June 3, chooses austere ceremony

Bengaluru: Eight-time lawmaker DK Shivakumar was elected as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader on Saturday and he will take oath as the chief minister in a simple ceremony on June 3.

After the CLP meeting, where he was unanimously chosen, Shivakumar went to Lok Bhavan and staked his claim to form the next government. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will administer the oath of office to Shivakumar at the Lok Bhavan glass house at 4.05 pm on June 3.

Speculation is rife that Shivakumar will be sworn-in along with a dozen ministers in the first batch.

Initially, Shivakumar was to take oath on the Grand Steps of the Vidhana Soudha. Apparently, the decision to scale down the event was based on advice from Shivakumar’s deity Ajjayya and the police.

“The plan was to ferry people in 10,000-15,000 buses from the districts. We decided against this to avoid inconveniencing citizens on a weekday. Also, fuel is getting expensive. So, we’re being austere,” Karnataka Congress working president GC Chandrashekar said, adding that the party does not want any pomp.

“After the swearing-in ceremony, the new CM will visit all district headquarters to meet voters and party workers. So, please don’t come here. There are no passes. Let’s not create any nuisance,” Chandrashekar said.

According to sources, Shivakumar has instructed all his supporters to keep celebrations muted. It is said that he is wary of antagonising outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s supporters.

Shivakumar’s election as the new CLP leader was overseen by Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jairam Ramesh.

"Everyone expected trouble and a big shake-up in the party. But we are one family. Though people wondered what Siddaramaiah would do, he proved the party's decision was his own, showing that only Congress is in his heart,’ Venugopal said after the CLP meeting. He declared that Congress would return to power in 2028 under Shivakumar with Siddaramaiah’s support.

The CLP meeting started about 45 minutes behind schedule as Siddaramaiah went to Tumakuru to pay his last respects to former minister Venkataramanappa.

At the CLP meet, Siddaramaiah first moved a one-line resolution authorising the party high command to decide on the next leader, which was seconded by G Parameshwara and adopted via a show of hands.

The meeting then took a 10-minute break, during which Siddaramaiah, Venugopal and Surjewala held discussions. On their return, Siddaramaiah formally proposed Shivakumar’s name as the new CLP leader. Seconded by Parameshwara, it was unanimously approved.

Soon after his election, Shivakumar moved a resolution thanking Siddaramaiah for his services.