Photos: Siddaramaiah Swears In as Karnataka CM, Congress Workers Celebrate

Several dignitaries including Congress' top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were present

As Congress government is set to swear in on 20 May, thousands of party workers flood Kanteerava Stadium to attend the oath taking ceremony.

(Photo: Pratiba Raman)

Bengaluru's Kanteerava Stadium appeared to be a converging point for Congress workers from across Karnataka as Siddaramaiah swears in as the Chief Minister of the state. The Congress had won 135 seats in Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections to stake claim to form the government.

KPCC President DK Shivakumar with Congress' national leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Bengaluru International Airport. Shivakumar is to swear in as Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.

Kanteerava Stadium decked up for the swearing in ceremony of new Karnataka government. According to onlookers, what's expected of the Congress government is welfare measures for all sections of the society.

Along with Siddaramaiah as CM and DK Shivakumar as Deputy CM, top MLAs of the Congress, including G Parameshwara, KJ George, MB Patil, and Priyank Kharge are expected to swear in as Cabinet Ministers.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to hold on to key portfolios of the government including Finance Department. Here, the grand stage is set for the swearing in.

Heavy police presence was witnessed at Kanteerava Stadium as special dignitaries including Congress' central leadership and Chief Ministers of other states including West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin are to attend the event.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office to Siddaramaiah as the state's chief minister at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, 20 May. 

Congress leader Siddaramaiah signs documents after taking oath as the state's chief minister at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on  Saturday, 20 May.

In a show of victory, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held hands with the newly sworn-in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar at the ceremony. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi said that the party would come through on its 5 poll promises. 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shares a light-hearted moment with party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Saturday, 20 May.

Addressing the gathering, AICC chief Kharge said that the Congress does not say one thing and do another. "Our promises will be met," said Kharge.

Rahul Gandhi said that the five promises made by the Congress during the elections will be passed in the first Cabinet meeting of the new government.

The newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, is a law graduate-turned-politician. He was born on 12 August 1948 in a remote village in Mysore. 

DK Shivakumar is known to be a troubleshooter, a Vokkaliga strongman, an eight-time MLA, and now, the Deputy CM of Karnataka. 

As the stage for the swearing-in had the presence of top political leaders from other states, Congress workers were hopeful that their party would also do well in the Lok Sabha elections.

The swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru comes after two days of a mild tug of war between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah over the seat of chief minister.