Karanataka Election Update: JDS Chief HD Kumaraswamy To Take Oath Today

Bengaluru: Karnataka will have its second chief minister in a week as Janata Dal Secular chief HD Kumaraswamy will take oath on Wednesday evening. His deputy G Parameshawara will also join him at the swearing in.

The oath will take place at the steps of Karnataka’s iconic Vidhan Souda complex which, JDS leaders suggest, could become a platform for various opposition parties to unite. Also present at the mega gathering will be four chief ministers and regional satraps except Telangana Chief Minister M K Chandrasekhar Rao and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnak.

The function will also see a rare sight of bitter rival-turned-allies, Akhilesh Yadav and Dalit powerhouse Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh sharing the center stage. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerela’s Pinayari Vijayan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi will be present at the oath-taking ceremony.

As per the deal sealed on Tuesday, 12 ministerial berths, including the post of the Chief minister will go to JDS, while the rest will remain with the Congress. The berths will be decided after floor test, which be held on Thursday, said KK Venugopal, a Congress leader from Karnataka.

The post of the Speaker will be given to Congress leader Ramesh Kumar while the Deputy Speaker will be from JDS, which have not yet named the candidate.

Last week, when BJP seemed to have achieved victory as single largest party, with 104 of 222 seats, Congress and JDS formed an alliance, who were rivals till the election results came in. The Congress had even dubbed JDS as ‘B-team’ of BJP.

Saffron party leader BS Yeddyurappa had resigned from the post of CM minutes before the trust vote on Saturday.