For nearly three decades, Shivakumar built a reputation as the Congress party’s most reliable troubleshooter in Karnataka — a dealmaker, organiser and relentless political operator who kept the party together through defections, crises and electoral battles.
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On Wednesday, that long journey culminated in the office he had coveted for years.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shivakumar, who takes charge after being elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30 following intense consultations between the state leadership and the party high command in New Delhi.
For Shivakumar, popularly known as “DK Shi”, the elevation represents the fulfilment of a long-cherished political ambition after years of jockeying for the state’s top post and a prolonged power struggle with Siddaramaiah, who stepped down last week following directions from the Congress leadership.
The new chief minister assumes office carrying both political capital and high expectations. Widely regarded as one of the Congress’s most influential leaders in southern India, Shivakumar played a pivotal role in the party’s organisational revival in Karnataka and was central to its electoral successes over the past decade.The swearing-in also reflected the Congress’s attempt to balance continuity with change.
Senior leader G. Parameshwara was sworn in as deputy chief minister, while the first batch of ministers included veterans K.H. Muniyappa, K.J. George, M.B. Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge, U.T. Khader, Eshwar Khandre, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Byrathi Suresh and Sharan Prakash Patil.
The line-up blends experienced administrators with influential regional leaders and emerging faces, underlining the party’s effort to accommodate competing political interests while ensuring representation across Karnataka’s diverse social and geographical landscape.
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Even as the ceremony unfolded, the final shape of the ministry remained the subject of intense political negotiations. The sanctioned strength of the Karnataka ministry is 34, including the chief minister, and hectic consultations continued until the eve of the swearing-in.
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Bengaluru from Delhi late on Tuesday, Shivakumar sought to downplay speculation surrounding ministerial appointments.
“The names that are being speculated by the media for ministerial posts are not official. After 10 am or by noon (on Wednesday), the high command in Delhi will send the list of names, we will discuss and share our opinion, and after that, Delhi will take the final decision and send me the list. Thereafter, I will send the list to the Lok Bhavan,” he said.
The ceremony itself was more restrained than initially planned.
Congress leaders had considered a large public event on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, but concerns over traffic disruption in Bengaluru prompted a shift to the Glass House at Lok Bhavan.
Students from Shivakumar’s native village of Doddaalahalli in Kanakapura were among the invitees, alongside representatives of farmers’ groups, labour organisations, civic workers, women’s self-help groups and pro-Kannada organisations.
Outside the venue, Congress flags and banners lined the roads around Vidhana Soudha and Lok Bhavan, while giant LED screens broadcast the proceedings to supporters gathered in the heart of Bengaluru.
Security was tight, with barricades erected around the venue and access restricted to invited guests.
“The names that are being speculated by the media for ministerial posts are not official,” Shivakumar reiterated before the ceremony, underscoring the continuing role of the Congress high command in shaping the new administration.
After taking oath, the chief minister was scheduled to chair his first cabinet meeting before meeting party office-bearers, district presidents, block presidents and members of various organisational committees at the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Bhavan.
The immediate challenge before Shivakumar extends beyond cabinet formation. He inherits the task of managing competing aspirations within the Congress, sustaining the party’s political momentum and delivering on governance promises in a state that remains crucial to the party’s national ambitions.
For now, however, the day belonged to a leader whose political career has been defined by persistence.
After years of waiting, negotiating and surviving political storms, D.K. Shivakumar has finally arrived at the summit of Karnataka politics.
