Siddaramaiah takes oath as Karnataka's 24th Chief Minister, DKS is Deputy CM | Azad Times

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah took oath invoking God as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka at the swearing-in ceremony held at Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru on May 20, Saturday at 12.30 pm. Siddaramaiah staked a claim to form the government on Thursday, May 18, after he was chosen as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party in a meeting held in Bengaluru. His elevation ended days of tussle between DK Shivakumar and him for the post of Karnataka’s 24th Chief Minister.

DK Shivakumar was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister. G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan were all sworn-in as ministers and they will be accorded the cabinet rank. Close to one lakh people were in attendance for the swearing-in. Political leaders such as MK Stalin and Nitish Kumar were among the invitees.

Amidst the Congress party's resounding triumph in the state, the question of who would assume the role of the next Chief Minister hung for several days. The spotlight was on two prominent contenders: Siddaramaiah, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, and DK Shivakumar, the chief of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). Both leaders had expressed their aspirations for the chief ministerial position, resulting in a power struggle between them despite the Congress' celebratory mood following their decisive victory.

Read: AHINDA mass leader Siddaramaiah to become Karnataka CM again

Siddaramaiah, a highly influential figure in Karnataka, is renowned as a mass leader and a strategist associated with the AHINDA movement. This movement played a pivotal role in propelling the Congress party to victory during the 2013 Assembly elections. AHINDA, originally coined by Devaraj Urs, the state's first Backward Class leader, represents the interests of minorities, Backward Classes, and Dalits in Karnataka's socio-political landscape. Siddaramaiah effectively utilised the AHINDA strategy and capitalised on the internal upheaval within the BJP caused by BS Yediyurappa's departure, ultimately aiding Congress in attaining power. Notably, Siddaramaiah hails from the Kuruba community, which holds significant numerical strength in the state. He won the Varuna Assembly seat, his home turf, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party candidate V Somanna.

Watch: Siddaramaiah to be next Karnataka Chief Minister, DKS Deputy CM | Pooja Prasanna