Congress rule in Karnataka from Monday, after 9-year gap

Congress rule in Karnataka from Monday, after 9-year gap

Mangaloretoday/DHNS

Bangalore, May 12, 2013: Congress leader Siddaramaiah will take over as Karnataka chief minister Monday, beginning the party’s rule of the state on its own after a gap of nine years. Siddaramiah will be the 22nd chief minister

Governor H. R. Bhardwaj will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Siddarimaiah at Sree Kanteerva stadium in city centre.

 

Siddaramaiah will be sworn in as the 22nd chief minister of Karnataka at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium at 11:40 am on Monday. Governor H R Bhardwaj will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Siddaramaiah.

A large number of people, including his supporters and Congress workers from across the State, are likely to attend the event. Besides, a number of senior Congess leaders, including B K Hari Prasad and Oscar Fernandes and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Madhusudan Mistry, Union ministers from the State, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and MLAs are likely to attend. Chief ministers usually take oath in front of Vidhana Soudha. The Kanteerava Stadium was chosen for Monday’s event as work on Namma Metro is underway near Vidhana Soudha. Chairs have been arranged for 25,000 people at the stadium.

 

This is the first time in Karnataka that a chief minister will be sworn-in at a stadium as work on metro rail has taken up much of space in front of the Vidhana Soudha, the majestic state secretariat, the usual venue for such functions.

The stadium is about three km from Vidhana Soudha.

The other venue has been the lawns of the Raj Bhavan, about a km from Vidhana Soudha, which however cannot accommodate thousands of supporters of the 64-year-old leader from his home district Mysore and other parts of the state want to witness the function.

Only Siddaramaiah will take oath on Monday as the Congress high command has not finalised the list of Cabinet ministers.

He is expected to expand his ministry later this week. Siddaramaiah is likely to hold a meeting with top government officers, including Chief Secretary S V Ranganath and DG & IGP Lal Rukum Pachao at the chief minister’s office on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha.

Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief G Parameshwara are likely to leave for Delhi later in the day. Both leaders will hold meetings with the party high command to discuss ministry formation.

About 50 MLAs are said to be lobbying hard to get Cabinet berths. The maximum strength of the ministry is 34, including the chief minister. The high command, party sources said, is planning to draw up certain guidelines for the selection of ministers.

Leaders belonging to Vokkaliga and the Lingayat communities are said to be insisting on having key portfolios like PWD, revenue, power and water resources, since the chief minister and the KPCC chief’s posts have gone to the OBCs and the SCs respectively. Some of the senior leaders lobbying for Cabinet berths may also leave for Delhi on Monday.