After taking the oath, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka wasted no time in fulfilling its promises by ordering the implementation of five guarantees outlined in the party’s election manifesto. However, the government also criticized the Centre for the state’s financial losses, citing the non-provision of a special grant of ₹5,495 crore from the 15th Finance Commission.
In a significant development, DK Shivakumar, who had aspired for the Chief Minister post, took oath as the sole Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. This decision came after days of deliberation over the party’s chief ministerial candidate following their resounding victory in the state.
Alongside the chief minister and deputy chief minister, eight additional MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the Karnataka cabinet. Among them were Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as G Parameshwara and MB Patil.
The remaining MLAs who took the oath included KH Muniyappa, KJ George, Satish Jarkiholi, Ramalinga Reddy, and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. Prominent figures from the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, were present at the ceremony. Chief Ministers from other Congress-ruled states, such as Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Ashok Gehlot, and Bhupesh Baghel, were also in attendance. The party extended invitations to numerous opposition parties and their leaders, resulting in the presence of prominent figures like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Following the swearing-in ceremony, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government wasted no time in issuing orders for the implementation of the five guarantees promised in their manifesto. These guarantees include 200 units of free power for all households (Gruha Jyoti), ₹2,000 monthly assistance for the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of free rice for every member of below poverty line (BPL) households (Anna Bhagya), ₹3,000 per month for unemployed graduate youth and ₹1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (aged 18-25) for two years (Yuva Nidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Uchita Prayana).
In a press briefing after the first Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the implementation of these guarantees would be enforced after the next Cabinet meeting, scheduled within a week. He also criticized the previous BJP government, describing it as ineffective and highlighting the financial losses incurred by the state due to the Centre’s failure to provide the recommended ₹5,495 crore as per the Finance Commission’s recommendation.
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly session is set to take place next week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the Congress, claiming that there is a significant disparity between the party’s announcements and its poll promises. Former Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai expressed disappointment on behalf of the people, stating that the announcements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the first Cabinet meeting did not meet expectations. K Annamalai, BJP Tamil Nadu unit president, went further to predict the collapse of the Karnataka government within a year and criticized the lack of unity within the Congress party itself.
In response to the swearing-in ceremony, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi expressed her gratitude to the people of Karnataka for electing Congress to power and reassured them that the newly-formed government would prioritize development. She emphasized the Congress party’s commitment to implementing the promises made to the people, highlighting the immediate approval of the implementation of the five guarantees in the first Cabinet meeting.
In the recent Karnataka Assembly elections, Congress secured 135 seats out of 224, ousting the ruling BJP, which obtained 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats.
