DK Shivakumar sworn in as Karnataka CM

DK Shivakumar was on wed sworn in as the chief government minister of mysore, officially taking bill of the state government alongside deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and a 12-member ministerial team, ending his long-drawn leadership tussle with his predecessor Siddaramaiah.Soon after taking oath, Shivakumar chaired his first cabinet meeting and announced youth-centric initiatives, including free bus pass for students and formation of 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas to raise leadership quality and build social harmony.Earlier in the day, governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar at the Lok Bhavan in a ceremony attended by senior Congress leaders and public figures from across the country.Clad in a silk kurta and dhoti, Shivakumar took the oath in the name of the revered seer Veera Gangadhara Ajjayya while holding a copy of the Constitution. He bowed, and paid obeisance to the gathering before taking the oath.Senior Dalit MLA G Parameshwara took oath in the name of BR Ambedkar, while Yathindra Siddaramaiah invoked the Constitution.Other legislators who took oath as ministers are KH Muniyappa, KJ George, M B Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byregowda, Priyank Kharge, UT Khader, Eshwar Khandre, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Byrathi Suresh, and Sharan Prakash Patil.Elevenof the 13 ministers inducted into Shivakumar-led cabinet were part of the previous Siddaramaiah government in the state. Interestingly, Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yathindra also made it to the Ministry. However, no women representatives were included in the first phase of cabinet formation.In a post on X, Shivakumar described the occasion as a collective achievement rather than a personal milestone.“Today, with immense humility and a heart filled with gratitude, I took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka at Lok Bhavan. This moment belongs not to me alone, but to the people of Karnataka and the lakhs of dedicated karyakartas whose affection, trust and unwavering faith have guided me through every challenge and every milestone of my journey. Through every high and low, they were my strength and my inspiration. I bow my head in gratitude to each and every one of you who believed in me and stood by me,” he wrote.He added: “In today’s rapidly changing era of technology, we must take our proud Karnataka to the pinnacle of development with new ideas. On this path of all-round progress, the participation of farmers, labourers, women, students, youth and every citizen is crucial for us. No single individual can bring about change, but if we all join hands, nothing is impossible. Come, let us build a beautiful, prosperous and progressive Karnataka that our future generations will take pride in.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the new chief minister in a post on X. “Congratulations to Shri DK Shivakumar for taking the oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Best wishes for his tenure. The Centre will work closely with the Karnataka government for the welfare of the people,” he said.In a special cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday, Shivakumar announced that all school and college students in the state would receive free bus passes, describing the measure as the first major decision taken by his cabinet.“This is the youth era. Students have been asking why free bus travel was available only for girls. We have decided to provide free bus passes to all students. Every school and college student will be eligible. This is the first decision taken by my cabinet. Students will have to apply, and we will discuss the implementation with the Transport Department,” he told reporters.Shivakumar said that private employment exchange will be set up to address the issue of unemployment where people can enroll for jobs. “Modalities for private employment exchange will be finalised within a month,” he said.He also announced setting up 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sangha across Karnataka to raise leadership quality and build social harmony in the state. “ ₹10 lakh will be given to Bharat Jodo Yuva Sangha in each village Panchayat,” he added. The Cabinet further decided that the drive to issue the A-Khata document to unauthorised buildings will be extended across Karnataka.Besides Kharge and Gandhi, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Kerala Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan also attended the event.Shivakumar’s elevation follows Siddaramaiah’s resignation on May 28. Announcing his decision, Siddaramaiah had said, “I am making way for a new chief minister.”Shivakumar was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on Saturday. He served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah government from May 2023 and has represented the Kanakapura constituency since 2008 after earlier representing Sathanur between 1989 and 2008.A day before the swearing-in ceremony, Siddaramaiah was inducted into the Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest executive body. The next Karnataka Assembly election is expected in May 2028.