NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday invited the leaders of like-minded parties to the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, scheduled on May 20, sources said on Thursday.
According to sources, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who recently met Maharashtra Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar recently in Mumbai, have also been extended an invitation at the swearing-in ceremony.
Sources said that the invitation has also been sent to like-minded opposition parties and their leaders including Hemant Soren, Sitaram Yechuri, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Among other opposition leaders who have been invited include Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Gandhi family including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also be present on the occasion.
Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states including Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will also be present.
Meanwhile, after the announcement of the chief ministerial face for Karnataka, Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Thursday spoke to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over the phone and will stake claim to form the government on Thursday evening, sources said.
Raj Bhavan sources said the swearing-in ceremony will take place on May 20 at 12.30 pm in Bengaluru, for which Congress MLA G Parameshwara went to Raj Bhavan as a representative of the party and met the Governor.
“Karnataka CM-designate Siddaramaiah spoke with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over the phone. Siddaramaiah wished him on his birthday and discussed the date for the swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony will be held on May 20 at 12.30 pm. Siddaramaiah will stake the claim to form the Government on Thursday evening,” sources told ANI.
Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, who were camping in the national capital for days after winning the Karnataka Assembly polls, reached Bengaluru in the evening to participate in the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar arrived by a chartered plane at the HAL airport from where they were escorted by the police. The two leaders were welcomed by folk artists and hundreds of supporters who had gathered there showered flower petals on the vehicles of both vehicles. From the airport, they headed to the Indira Gandhi Bhavan where the CLP meeting was held. (With Agency inputs).