Multiple deputy CMs, Siddaramaiah's son and more: All about likely cabinet of 'CM Shivakumar' in Karnataka

Bengaluru:

DK Shivakumar, who served as the deputy chief minister in the Siddaramaiah government, is all set to become the next chief minister of Karnataka. His swearing in ceremony will take place on June 3 at the Glass House of Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru in a simple ceremony which will be likely attended by top Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

"The swearing-in ceremony on the 3rd will take place at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan," Congress' Karnataka unit working president GC Chandrashekhar said at a press conference. "The swearing-in ceremony should not be extravagant. It should be conducted as simply as possible and should reflect a spirit of work and service rather than display or pomp. The party has taken a decision and issued directions that the event should be conducted in a simple manner." 

Along with Shivakumar, several ministers will also be sworn in. Though there is no clarity on who will take oath, reports have emerged that many Karnataka leaders of Congress are lobbying for themselves and want to secure a place for themselves in the next cabinet. Several of them have already met the Congress top brass in Delhi, aiming to secure a spot for themselves.

However, the Congress leadership is cautious about this and want a cabinet that includes both old and new members. Citing sources, news agency PTI reported that the party is making efforts to strike a balance by ensuring representation while keeping caste equations, regions, and Siddaramaiah loyalists in mind.

Multiple deputy CMs, spot for Siddaramaiah's son

Though the report stated that many ministers from the Siddaramaiah cabinet are likely to be dropped, the Shivakumar government will may have multiple deputy chief ministers, with many media outlets reporting that this number could be four.

Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra, who is an MLC, could also be inducted in the next cabinet. However, senior leader Satish Jarkiholi has said that the high command will take a decision regarding Yathindra.

"After Siddaramaiah's resignation, it is certain that DK Shivakumar will be the CM. There is no doubt about it," he told news agency ANI. "High command has decided that DK Shivakumar will be our next CM. This has already been announced. Siddaramaiah has announced it too. We hope that the good work in Siddaramaiah's tenure continues. It is a challenge and our CM will shoulder it."

Notably, India TV had earlier reported that Jarkiholi could replace Shivakumar as Congress' Karnataka unit chief and could even be inducted in the cabinet. He has reportedly sought time to take a decision and he will also consult Siddaramaiah about the same.

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