Karnataka Live updates: HD Kumaraswamy takes oath as the Chief Minister

Janata Dal Secular (JDS) leader HD Kumaraswamy took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday. Leaders from various opposition parties gathered at the Vidhana Soudha for the swearing-in ceremony. The JDS has formed an alliance with the Congress to form the government in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy has become the second CM of the state in just a week. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s BS Yeddyurappa had resigned from the post on Saturday just before the trust vote. After the voters delivered a fractured mandate in the Karnataka Assembly elections, Governor Vajubhai Vala had invited the BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, to form the government in the state.

However, with the JDS-Congress alliance having the numbers for government formation, Yeddyurappa was compelled to resign just before taking trust vote in the Assembly.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders with regional parties cutting across political lines coming together in a show of unity ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Those present included Congress President Rahul Gandhi, his mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh and Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejaswi Yadav.

23 May 2018

16:30 PM

Congress' G.Parameshwara takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of #Karnataka.

Bengaluru: Congress' G.Parameshwara takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of #Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/EMLbiAXM5L

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

16:27 PM

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi meet Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy at the dais ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

Bengaluru: Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi arrive at Vidhana Soudha for HD Kumaraswamy and G.Parameshwara's swearing in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Ky6yvlaLH3

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

16:23 PM

HD Kumaraswamy, his brother HD Revanna, G Parameshwara, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are among several politicians present at Vidhana Soudha.

Bengaluru: HD Kumaraswamy, his brother HD Revanna, G.Parameshwara, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and other leaders at Vidhana Soudha. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/BHRvIOOrXe

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

16:20 PM

JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy arrives at Vidhana Soudha for his swearing-in ceremony as Karnataka CM. Other opposition leaders are also present on the dais. 

Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda & his wife Chennamma arrive at Vidhana Soudha. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/KuTTu50Jy0

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

16:17 PM

Bhua-bhatija at Swearing in

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav met BSP supremo Mayawati on the dais. The two leaders were seen waving together at the crowds and sitting next to each other. 

Bengaluru: Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati at Vidhana Soudha ahead of HD Kumaraswamy and G.Parameshwara's swearing in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/ckhN3oIzIN

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

16:11 PM

Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, Vidhana Soudha is seeing spells of rain. People can be seen taking shelter in the open ground where the ceremony will be held.

People at Vidhana Soudha take shelter under tarpaulin as rain lashes Bengaluru ahead of HD Kumaraswamy and G.Parameshwara's swearing in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively. pic.twitter.com/Hc7NBDP4EE

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

15:54 PM

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM-designate HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru. 

UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Congress President @RahulGandhi arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM-designate @hd_kumaraswamy in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/UlTagLtvih

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 23, 2018

15:51 PM

Action has begun at the Vidhana Soudha where Kumaraswamy will soon take oath as the CM. Congress leader G Parameshwara's will also be taking oath today as the Deputy Chief Minister.

Bengaluru: Visuals from Vidhana Soudha ahead of HD Kumaraswamy and G.Parameshwara's swearing in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/18RM1PAnOk

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

15:50 PM

One big task as CM for Kumaraswamy will be a smooth expansion of his Council of Ministers, as the Congress would want to have a big share in the ministerial pie. The Congress has 78 lawmakers in the Lower House against the 37 of the JDS.

15:49 PM

A huge stage has been erected in front of the majestic Vidhana Soudha for the ceremony where a host of national and regional leaders are expected to be present to send a message across to the BJP over the shape of things to come in 2019. It will be Kumaraswamy's second term in office. He had earlier headed the JD(S)-BJP coalition government for 20 months, between February 2006 and October 2007.

15:45 PM

Kumaraswamy will be the second chief minister to take oath in Karnataka within a week, after Yeddyurappa stepped down without facing the floor test on May 19 in the face of an imminent defeat. The JD-S's chief minister-designate said portfolio distribution would be discussed on Friday and a coordination committee would be formed to facilitate smooth functioning of the coalition.

15:44 PM

Before taking oath as the 25th Chief Minister of Karnataka, Kumaraswamy visited his parents' house in Bengaluru south and took the blessings. The Chief Minister-designate also offered prayers to Hindu goddess Chamundeshwari at a hill temple.

15:35 PM

Ahead of the ceremony, rain has lashed parts of Bengaluru. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be attended by a galaxy of opposition leaders with regional parties cutting across political lines coming together in a show of unity ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Those scheduled to be present include Congress President Rahul Gandhi, his mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejaswi Yadav and actor and politician Kamal Hassan. 

#Karnataka: Heavy rain lashes parts of Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/sXUkiETysM

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

15:33 PM

Leaders of various regional parties have gathered in Bengaluru for the swearing-in ceremony.

Bengaluru: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury met, ahead of attending HD Kumaraswamy's swearing-in as Chief Minister of #Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/uTnCSqw3Sg

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2018

11:08 AM

Scenes of celebration have been on in front of Kumaraswamy's residence since early today. Dancers and singers in colourful attire have been rejoicing.

11:06 AM

Kumaraswamy speaks to mediapersons ahead of oath-taking ceremony later today. He assures people in the state of fulfilling promises made in the manifesto and to work closely with all JDS and Congress ministers.

10:19 AM

Congress leader G Parameshwara, who will be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, has said that the decision to choose him over Roshan Baig and DK Shivakumar was taken by the Congress high command. "It's the high command which decides all these, they chose me. I thank them immensely but the point is they're also eligible but they gave me this opportunity," said Parameshwara.