Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar officially took charge as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday. The high-profile swearing-in ceremony was held at the Glass House within the Lok Bhavan premises in Bengaluru. Amid enthusiastic chanting from thousands of supporters, Shivakumar walked up to the stage and paid a floral tribute to the portrait of his spiritual guide, Sri Veera Gangadhara Swamiji. He then took the oath of office and secrecy from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, holding a copy of the Constitution and invoking the name of his revered seer.
The grand event commenced with the rendition of Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem and the State Anthem, beautifully performed by the Karnataka State Police Band. In a show of political camaraderie before the formal oath-taking began, Shivakumar felicitated the outgoing Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, by draping a traditional shawl over his shoulders. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh welcomed the distinguished gathering and formally initiated the proceedings after receiving official approval from the Governor.
The ceremony drew an array of top-tier national and state leaders, reflecting the significance of the political transition. Prominent attendees included AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru. Several regional leaders, including Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Kerala Congress leader V.D. Satheesan, were also present alongside senior party general secretaries, marking a monumental new chapter for the Congress party in Karnataka.
