Opposition unity is all to be showcased in the swearing-in of Congress leader Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister and DK Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka on Saturday, as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin and a host of leaders are expected to arrive in what is seen as a coming together of the non-BJP bloc ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
TMC supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, however, would be absent at the event.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar would take oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively along with a few ministers at 12.30 PM on Saturday at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
Both the leaders were in Delhi today to discuss with the party's high command regarding the new cabinet and allocation of portfolios.
Who are the invitees for the ceremony?
Besides Kumar, those who have confirmed their presence include Stalin, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, according to Congress sources.
Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge has also invited leaders of JMM, RJD, Shiv Sena, SP, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, MDMK, RSP, CPI(ML), VCK, RLD, Kerala Congress and IUML for the ceremony, the sources said.
However, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala criticised the Congress for not inviting the state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the swearing-in ceremony, saying the move shows the grand old party's immature politics and weakness.
Congress's move has proved that it cannot carry out the mission of bringing together the secular democratic forces of the country against the BJP's "fascist" politics, LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said in Kannur in Kerala.
"Now, what anti-BJP stand is the Congress party going to adopt in the country?" he asked, speaking to reporters. Congress leads the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.
West Bengal CM Banerjee has designated TMC Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar for the programme. "Banerjee skipping the event has come as some kind of a dampener, especially after her recent statement that in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, her party will support the Congress where it is strong", a Congress leader said.
“Wherever the Congress is strong, let them fight. We will give them support; there is nothing wrong (in that). But they also have to support other political parties,” Banerjee said recently. Her statement came soon after Congress emerged triumphant against the BJP in the southern state bagging 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly.
Nitish Kumar, who has also been stressing on opposition unity to take on the BJP next year said he has been invited by the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for the swearing-in ceremony.
"It (Karnataka assembly poll) was an important election. Also, I have an old friendship with him (Siddaramaiah). I will be going tomorrow," he told reporters in Bihar's Darbhanga on Friday.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar also said that he invited leaders of the BJP and JD(S) for the event, stating that as public representatives, they too are part of the government machinery.
Speaking to PTI, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister M Veerappa Moily said: "It (the swearing-in ceremony) could also be launchpad for the opposition unity and demonstration of strength and solidarity".
Political analyst Ramakrishna Upadhya said the Assembly elections win in Karnataka "is a shot in the arm for the Congress after losing so many elections. The victory is indeed a morale booster for Congress and assert itself ahead of the 2024 elections".
(With inputs from PTI)
