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Shivakumar requested the Governor to administer the oath to him as Chief Minister and to the others as the Council of Ministers.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot received a letter from Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar, as the latter stakes claim to form a new government. (PTI Image)
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar, who was unanimously elected as the next Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in a high-stakes meeting on Saturday, met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Lok Bhavan and formally staked claim to form the next government in the state.
Shivakumar was accompanied by outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other senior state leaders. Governor Gehlot invited him to take the oath as the Chief Minister of the state on June 3.
“I am in receipt of your letter dated 30th May, 2026, staking a claim to form the government. I invite you to take oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka along with team members,” the Governor said in a letter to Shivakumar.
When Will The Oath Take Place?
The oath ceremony will take place at 4:05 pm on June 3, 2026, on the Lok Bhavan premises, as per the letter.
In his letter to the Governor staking his claim, Shivakumar stated that the Karnataka CLP consisting of 135 members of the Indian National Congress, 2 associated members and 1 Raita Sangha MLA, had unanimously elected him as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party.
He requested the Governor to administer the oath to him as Chief Minister and to the others as the Council of Ministers.
Shivakumar Elected CLP Leader
At the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting held in Vidhan Soudha, Shivakumar was elected leader of the legislature party, paving the way for him to take over as the next chief minister of the state.
The meeting was attended by CLP Secretary Allamprabhu Patil, AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal. Outgoing CM Siddaramaiah, who resigned on May 28, proposed and announced DK Shivakumar as the next CLP leader, which was backed by Home Minister G Parameshwara.
“Humbled to be unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party at the CLP meeting held in Vidhana Soudha today. Along with Shri @siddaramaiah and other leaders, I met Hon’ble Governor Shri @TCGEHLOT and formally submitted our claim to form the government in Karnataka,” he said on X.
Humbled to be unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party at the CLP meeting held in Vidhana Soudha today.Along with Shri @siddaramaiah and other leaders, I met Hon’ble Governor Shri @TCGEHLOT and formally submitted our claim to form the government in… pic.twitter.com/cbq3Gn7wHU
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 30, 2026
Later, speaking to reporters, Venugopal said a smooth transition of power took place in Karnataka, and the party will again return to power in the state under Shivakumar’s leadership.
BJP Takes Swipe At Karnataka Congress
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a swipe at Shivakumar, saying the leadership change would not alter the “character” of the government that has been mired in corruption.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the leadership change reflects the Congress’s acknowledgement that Siddaramaiah’s governance has failed on multiple fronts. “Therefore, they have had to replace him. Otherwise, 2028 (assembly elections) is gone,” he added.
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