Karnataka Chief Minister-designate D K Shivakumar and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are traveling to New Delhi to finalize cabinet appointments [1].
This movement signals a critical period of negotiation within the Congress party as leadership seeks to balance regional interests and power dynamics before the new government officially takes office.
The leaders are scheduled to travel to the capital on Monday, June 3, 2026 [2]. Their primary objective is to meet with the Congress high command to discuss the allocation of cabinet berths, and the potential creation of deputy chief minister posts [3].
While these high-level discussions occur in New Delhi, the formal swearing-in ceremony for the new administration has been scaled down [3]. The event is scheduled to take place on June 3, 2026 [4], at the Glass House in Bengaluru [3].
Reports indicate that around 10 ministers are likely to take the oath of office during the ceremony [4]. Additionally, the party is currently discussing the possibility of appointing two deputy chief ministers to support the administration [4].
The travel to Delhi serves as a lobbying effort for senior state leaders who are vying for specific portfolios within the new cabinet [3]. By coordinating directly with the party's national leadership, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah aim to ensure a stable transition of power as the new government prepares to launch its agenda in Bengaluru.
“The swearing-in ceremony has been scaled down while senior state leaders travel to New Delhi.”
The decision to scale back the public ceremony in favor of private negotiations in New Delhi suggests that the distribution of power within the Karnataka government remains a sensitive internal party matter. The discussion over two deputy chief minister posts indicates an attempt to manage ambitions among senior leaders to prevent factionalism within the Congress party.
