Karnataka swearing-in today with 8 ministers, 1 of them a new face

Several chief ministers from Opposition-ruled states, along with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, are among the invitees for the high-profile event.

Except for former Union minister Muniyappa, seven others were part of the state Cabinet in the past. Parameshwara, who had insisted that he be made deputy chief minister – as he had held the post in the past – will be among those inducted, along with senior legislators George, Patil and Reddy. The portfolios of the ministers are expected to be announced shortly after the swearing-in ceremony.

The list of new ministers in the state Cabinet was announced by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal on Friday evening.

While there were speculations that more than 20 ministers could be inducted, the high command is said to have okayed the induction of eight ministers in the first batch. Negotiations between the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps are said to be on to induct their loyalists to the state Cabinet. Caste and regional equations are also being sorted out before finalising the full Cabinet, according to Congress sources.

Days after the election results on May 13, in which Congress secured a landslide victory, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had lobbied hard for the CM post. The party high command had ultimately favoured Siddaramaiah for the top post and Shivakumar was convinced to accept the deputy CM post along with a few other key portfolios in the government.