Yatindra Siddaramaiah, son of outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah, is set to be inducted into DK Shivakumar’s new cabinet today, but he will not get the deputy chief minister’s post amid intense speculation over the formation of the new government.
As HT reported earlier, Yatindra dismissed speculation that he was a candidate for the deputy prime minister’s post and said that Rahul Gandhi had assured him that he would find a place in the Cabinet.
“The last time I visited the high command, Rahul Gandhi told me that my interests will be taken care of and said that I will be appointed in the Cabinet, so I am optimistic. Whatever portfolio is given to me, I will be happy,” Yatendra said.
Read also: ‘Average in studies, naughty…but he had the qualities of a leader’: Shivakumar’s mentor recalls before taking oath of Karnataka chief minister
When asked if he was eyeing the position of deputy prime minister, he replied, “No.”
His remarks came as Shivakumar and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also Yatindra’s father, traveled to New Delhi to consult with the Congress leadership on the formation of the new government and distribution of key ministerial portfolios.
“Siddaramaiah wants Yatindra in a politically important department. The welfare portfolio is among the options under discussion,” a leader familiar with the talks was quoted as saying by HT.
The post of deputy chief minister will go to senior Dalit leader G Parameshwara, who is also scheduled to take oath after Shivakumar takes oath.
Taking the oath at four in the afternoon
Shivakumar is scheduled to take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru at around 4 pm on Wednesday. With him, 13 ministers will be sworn in as part of the new government, including Siddaramaiah’s son Yatindra.
His elevation to the state’s top post comes after a series of discussions involving Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command, ending months of uncertainty over the party’s power-sharing arrangements in Karnataka.
Read also: Siddaramaiah’s son Priyank Karg, G Parameshwar will be part of DK Shivakumar’s Karnataka government | See the full list
Under the agreement reached within the Congress, Shivakumar was scheduled to take over as chief minister after Siddaramaiah completed half his term, or two-and-a-half years in office.
Shivakumar meets Siddaramaiah, BS Yediyurappa before taking oath
Before the swearing-in ceremony, Shivakumar met outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, veteran BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and personally invited them to attend the event where he will take oath as Prime Minister.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Yeddyurappa, Shivakumar said: “They have guided the country, worked for it and contributed greatly to its development. We all have to work together.”
Shivakumar also visited JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda to invite him to the swearing-in ceremony and seek his blessings before assuming office.
Rahul Gandhi to attend the ceremony
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday left Delhi’s IGI Airport for Bengaluru to attend Shivakumar’s swearing-in ceremony.
Read also: In the national battle, Siddaramaiah is appointed to the top Congress committee while making way for Shivakumar as Karnataka chief minister.
Apart from Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary KC Venugopal and Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Surjewala are also expected to attend the event. Several Congress chief ministers from across the country are likely to attend, news agency ANI reported.
Siddaramaiah resigned on 28 MaySaying that he is acting as per the directions of the Congress leadership, after days of speculation about a change in the top leadership in Karnataka.
