A total of 14 ministers apart from DK Shivakumar are likely to take the oath on Wednesday in the new Cabinet in Karnataka, and the remaining Cabinet expansion will take place later, sources said. Earlier in the day, the top brass of the Congress held deliberations with Karnataka chief minister-designate DK Shivakumar and incumbent Siddaramaiah to give final shape to the new Cabinet that is set to be sworn in on June 3 in Bengaluru. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah participated in a meeting involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary organisation KC Venugopal, and AICC general secretary-in-charge Karnataka Randeep Surjewala.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, is scheduled to be sworn in as chief minister along with some members of the Council of Ministers at 4.05 pm on June 3 at the Lok Bhavan premises. He was officially elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka on May 30.
List of ministers to take oath on Wednesday:
- KJ George
- G Parameshwara
- Ramalinga Reddy
- Krishna Byregowda
- UT Khader
- Mallanagouda Basanagouda Patil
- Satish Jarkiholi
- Priyank Kharge
- Yathindra Siddaramaiah
- Lakshmi Hebbalkar
- KH Muniyappa or his daughter Roopakala Shashidhar.
New Cabinet is likely to have a blend of familiar faces and fresh entrants
Party sources stated that the new Cabinet is likely to be a blend of familiar faces and fresh entrants, with careful attention paid to caste arithmetic, regional balance, and loyalty equations -- particularly towards the Siddaramaiah camp.
Siddaramaiah's son and Congress MLC Yathindra, after meeting the CM-designate on Sunday, expressed confidence about a Cabinet berth, saying the party high command had assured him of a ministerial position.
Elaborate security arrangements in place for swearing-in ceremony
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru, where Congress leader DK Shivakumar is scheduled to take an oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3.
Congress flags and large banners featuring leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have been put up around Vidhana Soudha and the Lok Bhavan area.
The stretch from Vidhana Soudha to Lok Bhavan has been lined with Congress flags and banners, while LED screens have been installed at multiple locations to telecast the ceremony. Tight security arrangements have been made around the venue, with barricades erected on roads leading to Lok Bhavan in anticipation of large gatherings of supporters and party workers.
Movement of all vehicles, except those officially authorised for the event, will be prohibited on stretches including Cubbon Road, Dr BR Ambedkar Road from KR Circle, Race Course Road, and roads leading to Lok Bhavan from Queens Junction and St Mark's Road.
Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes via Shivajinagar, Cunningham Road, and Anil Kumble Junction to avoid delays. The traffic police urged commuters to plan their travel in advance and cooperate with officials to ensure smooth movement during the ceremony.
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