Karnataka chief minister-designate DK Shivakumar is set to take oath along with a small cabinet on June 3, with Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra likely among the 13 leaders whose names have been finalised for induction into the Council of Ministers, sources said.
According to sources, the confirmed names for the first phase of cabinet formation include Yathindra, G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, U T Khader, KJ George, Krishna Byre Gowda, MB Patil, Priyank Kharge, Satish Jarkiholi, Ramalinga Reddy, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Byrati Suresh and Eshwar Khandre.
Sources said Parameshwara is likely to be the sole deputy chief minister in the new government. HK Patil is likely to be appointed Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly.
The composition of the cabinet was discussed during a series of meetings in New Delhi on Tuesday. Shivakumar and his predecessor Siddaramaiah met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and AICC general secretary-in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala to finalise the new ministry.
Sources said Shivakumar will initially take oath with a small cabinet and expand it later. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 4.05 pm on June 3 at the Lok Bhavan premises in Bengaluru and will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.
Shivakumar, who was officially elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30, expressed gratitude to the Gandhi family earlier in the day and thanked them for the faith reposed in him throughout his political journey.
With the Karnataka Council of Ministers capped at 34, including the chief minister, the Congress leadership has been balancing competing claims from aspirants while factoring in caste representation, regional balance and loyalty equations. Several former ministers and legislators have reached Delhi to lobby for cabinet berths.
Sources said discussions also revolved around multiple deputy chief minister posts, including the possibility of a Dalit deputy chief minister. However, Parameshwara is now likely to be the only deputy chief minister. Priyank Kharge was among the names earlier considered for the role.
Yathindra, an MLC and Siddaramaiah’s son, had earlier expressed confidence about securing a cabinet berth, claiming that the party high command had assured him of a ministerial position.
The Congress leadership is also understood to be considering the formation of a joint coordination committee headed by Siddaramaiah to strengthen coordination between the party organisation and the government. Sources said senior leaders continue to urge Siddaramaiah to accept a Rajya Sabha seat, though he has expressed a preference to remain active in state politics.
Another key issue under discussion is the future of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee presidency. Senior MLA Satish Jarkiholi emerged as the frontrunner for the post, but sources said he opted for a cabinet berth after the high command made it clear that he could not simultaneously hold both positions. As a result, status quo is likely to continue in the party president’s post for now.
Sources also said there was intense discussion over whether Zameer Ahmed should be included in the cabinet. At the same time, Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and Mallikarjun Kharge were engaged in further consultations, while Rahul Gandhi left Kharge’s residence for another meeting.
The leadership also deliberated on women’s representation in the cabinet. Sources said a tough contest was underway between Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Roopakala, daughter of KH Muniyappa, for a place in the ministry. If Roopakala is selected, Muniyappa may have to miss out on a cabinet berth despite his name figuring in the current list, sources added.
The oath-taking ceremony is expected to witness the presence of several senior Congress leaders and dignitaries. Invitees include Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of other states, state Congress presidents, MPs, religious leaders, students from the Government School in Doddalahalli, Kanakapura, daily wage workers, sanitation workers, farmer leaders, leaders of Dalit and backward class organisations, women leaders, representatives of self-help groups, media and film industry representatives, members of the judiciary, sports personalities, theatre personalities, writers, artists, industrialists, business leaders, hotel industry representatives and youth leaders.
– Ends
Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
Jun 2, 2026 20:43 IST
