Senior Congress leader and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D. K. Shivakumar is set to be sworn in as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday, marking the culmination of a long-awaited leadership transition in the Congress government.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Lok Bhavan's Glass House in Bengaluru. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will administer the oath of office. Around eight to ten ministers are also expected to be sworn in during the first phase of cabinet formation.

The leadership change follows the resignation of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 28 May 2026 after months of speculation over a power-sharing arrangement within the ruling Congress party. The Congress Legislature Party subsequently elected Shivakumar as its leader, paving the way for him to take charge of the state government.

Shivakumar, 64, is an eight-time MLA and one of the Congress party's most influential leaders in Karnataka. He served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah government and played a key role in the party's 2023 Assembly election victory.

Several senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, K. C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, are expected to attend the ceremony. Religious leaders, industrialists, artists, writers and students from Shivakumar's native Doddalahalli area have also been invited.

Ahead of the swearing-in, Congress leaders held meetings in New Delhi to finalise the composition of the new cabinet and ensure a smooth transition of power.

The Karnataka government has declared a half-day holiday for employees working in key state government offices in Bengaluru to facilitate the swearing-in ceremony.

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