Shivakumar meets Siddaramaiah, Yediyurappa ahead of Karnataka CM oath
Synopsis
Hours before taking oath as Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar's itinerary read like a coalition map — Siddaramaiah's Kaveri for Congress continuity, Yediyurappa's puja room for Lingayat goodwill, and a phone call to Sharanaprakash Patil to widen his Cabinet's social base. The symbolism is unmistakable: govern by consensus, or risk the faction lines reopening.
Key Takeaways
Shivakumar met outgoing CM Siddaramaiah at Kaveri residence on 3 June ahead of his swearing-in.
Parameshwara is set to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister .
Shivakumar invited Dr Sharanaprakash R.
Patil , MLA from Sedam in Kalaburagi, to join the Council of Ministers.
Shivakumar visited B.S.
Yediyurappa's residence and offered prayers in his puja room; the BJP veteran felicitated him with a shawl and garland.
BJP MLA Bhyrati Basavaraj was also present at Yediyurappa's home during the meeting.
Karnataka Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday, 3 June, called on outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his official residence Kaveri in Bengaluru, hours before the swearing-in ceremony, and conveyed his gratitude to the veteran Congress leader, according to a statement from Siddaramaiah's office. In a separate gesture cutting across party lines, Shivakumar also visited former Chief Minister and BJP veteran B.S. Yediyurappa to seek his blessings.
Courtesy calls at Kaveri
Former Home Minister G. Parameshwara, who is set to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister, also met Siddaramaiah at Kaveri and thanked him, the statement said. Siddaramaiah congratulated both leaders and extended his best wishes as they prepare to assume their new responsibilities in the Karnataka government.
Senior Congress leader and former Minister R.V. Deshpande and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of the outgoing Chief Minister, were also present and congratulated the two leaders on their elevation. Siddaramaiah warmly embraced Shivakumar and Parameshwara, and the leaders were felicitated with bouquets ahead of the oath-taking ceremony.
Cabinet outreach begins
In a related development, Shivakumar telephoned Dr Sharanaprakash R. Patil and invited him to join the Council of Ministers, according to a statement issued by Patil's office. The office also released photographs showing supporters celebrating at his residence.
Patil previously served as Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. He represents the Sedam Assembly constituency in Kalaburagi district — the home district of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
A senior Lingayat leader, Patil is reportedly seen as enjoying cordial relations with Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and the Kharge family — factors that have strengthened his position within the party and government. Earlier, Parameshwara met Shivakumar at the latter's residence in Bengaluru and extended greetings on his elevation to the top post.
A symbolic stop at Yediyurappa's home
Shivakumar later visited the residence of Yediyurappa and sought his blessings ahead of the swearing-in. The BJP veteran personally received him at the doorstep. Shivakumar offered prayers in the puja room of Yediyurappa's house, after which Yediyurappa felicitated him by draping a shawl over his shoulders and garlanding him.
Former minister and BJP MLA Bhyrati Basavaraj was also present on the occasion. The two senior leaders later held a brief conversation.
What's next
With courtesy calls and outreach to Lingayat leaders such as Patil and Yediyurappa, Shivakumar's pre-oath choreography signals an attempt to project continuity with Siddaramaiah's tenure while broadening his social coalition. The composition of the new Cabinet — and the ministerial portfolios assigned to the Old Mysuru and Kalyana Karnataka camps — will be the next major test.
Point of View
And Karnataka's Congress has a long record of such peace tableaus unravelling within months.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is taking oath as Karnataka's new Chief Minister?
D.K. Shivakumar is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, succeeding Siddaramaiah. G. Parameshwara is slated to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister.
Why did Shivakumar visit B.S. Yediyurappa before the swearing-in?
Shivakumar visited Yediyurappa's residence to seek the BJP veteran's blessings ahead of his swearing-in, a customary gesture across party lines in Karnataka politics. Yediyurappa received him at the doorstep, and Shivakumar offered prayers in the puja room before being felicitated with a shawl and garland.
Who is Sharanaprakash Patil and why is his Cabinet invite significant?
Sharanaprakash R. Patil is a senior Lingayat Congress leader who previously held the Medical Education and Skill Development portfolio in the Siddaramaiah government. He represents Sedam in Kalaburagi — Mallikarjun Kharge's home district — and is reportedly close to Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and the Kharge family.
Who else met Siddaramaiah at the Kaveri residence?
Apart from Shivakumar and Parameshwara, senior Congress leader R.V. Deshpande and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah were present at the meeting. They congratulated the two leaders on their elevation to the top posts in the state government.
What does this signal about the new Karnataka Cabinet?
The outreach to a senior Lingayat leader like Patil and the courtesy call on Yediyurappa suggest Shivakumar is trying to broaden his social coalition beyond his Vokkaliga base. The full Cabinet composition and portfolio allocation are expected to follow the swearing-in.
