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A fresh batch of ministers was officially inducted into the New Karnataka cabinet alongside DK Shivakumar after he was sworn in as the Chief Minister and G Parameshwara as the Deputy CM.
Alongside the Chief Minister and his deputy CM, 12 other prominent party leaders, including KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge, UT Khader, Eshwara Khandre, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Byrathi Suresh, and Sharan Prakash Patil, took their oaths. This is expected to be the initial list of ministers, with further cabinet appointments likely to be announced in the near future. While the cabinet includes several experienced ministers returning to office under Shivakumar, the highlight is the induction of Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who makes his debut in the state cabinet. Before this, Shivakumar took the oath of the CM office while carrying a copy of the Constitution of India, underscoring the significance of the occasion. Prior to taking the oath, he sought the blessings of Veera Gangadhara Ajjayya, and following the ceremony, he bowed respectfully to the attendees. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by top Congress leaders, religious heads and dignitaries from across the country. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal were among the senior leaders present at the event, reflecting the party's united support for the new leadership in Karnataka. Shivakumar, one of the Congress's most prominent leaders in Karnataka, has represented the Kanakapura Assembly constituency for eight consecutive terms and has served as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president since 2020. He played a key role in leading the party to victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections and has been instrumental in strengthening the organisation in the state. The ceremony witnessed the attendance of senior party leaders, including Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who praised Shivakumar's contribution to the party over the years. The swearing-in ceremony marks a major political development in Karnataka, with Shivakumar succeeding Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister following consultations within the Congress leadership. (ANI)
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