The oath taking ceremony of state cabinet in Karnataka will take place on Saturday.
According to The Indian Express report, at least 28 ministers along with Chief Minister designate Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K designate Shivakumar will be administered oath during the ceremony, the report said.
As per media reports, the swearing-in ceremony is expected to witness a massive public gathering at the Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday after Shivakumar extended an open invitation.
Ahead of the ceremony, the supporters of Karnataka CM-elect Siddaramaiah gathered at the venue and were seen dancing together in a video that emerged on social media.
The report also added that Congress workers teemed at the party office in central Bengaluru on Friday in search of an official invitation to the ceremony.
“Congress is expected to avoid delays in the induction of a state Cabinet by administering the oath of administration to as many as 28 ministers…,” the report said.
“As many as 28 ministers could be sworn in along with the CM and Deputy CM. The party does not want to delay the government formation anymore. The lists are being finalised and will be cleared by the high command,” the report quoted sources as having said.
“Around four Cabinet berths may be kept vacant for induction later,” it added.
“With the state Congress divided into the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps, the party high command will decide the candidates proposed by the two leaders to be ministers based on caste, regional representation, and merit yardsticks,” it said.
“The Congress is expected to wipe the slate clean and induct a new set of ministers at the end of 30 months when Shivakumar is expected to receive the CM’s baton from Siddaramaiah as per an internal agreement,” the report quoted sources as having said.
The Congress won 135 seats in the Assembly polls for the 224-member legislature.
“As many as 20 Congress MLAs aspiring for a ministerial position were camping in Delhi as of Friday and trying to meet AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to press their case,” it said.
“There is a certain amount of disappointment with the decision to appoint Shivakumar as the sole Deputy CM. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief’s insistence on being the lone Deputy CM has resulted in several community leaders being disappointed. Former Deputy CM G Parameshwara, a Dalit who earlier insisted on being appointed to the position has, changed his stance and could be a favourite to be a Deputy CM 30 months later when the CM baton is expected to be passed on to Shivakumar,” it mentioned.
“As many as three women are front-runners to be ministers. Among them are Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Roopakala Shashidar, while lone Muslim woman MLA Kaneez Fathima is a dark horse. Roopakala who is Dalit is in contention for a ministerial post along with her father and party veteran K H Muniyappa,” it said.
