Rahul Gandhi leaves for Bengaluru to attend DK Shivakumar’s oath-taking ceremony

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday left from the IGI airport in the national capital for Bengaluru, to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar.

Other than Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary KC Venugopal, Karnataka Congress in charge Randeep Surjewala are also likely to attend Shivakumar’s oath-taking ceremony. Several Congress Chief Ministers are also expected to mark their presence at the event.

#WATCH | Delhi | Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi leaves from his residence for the IGI Airport. He will attend Karnataka CM designate DK Shivakumar’s oath taking ceremony later today. pic.twitter.com/VgI7yZ3Jkf

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2026

Shivakumar will be succeeding Siddaramaiah, who held the position for the longest period in the history of the state. Several other senior Congress MLAs are likely to take oath along with Shivakumar, including G Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, Yathindra Siddaramaiah and others.

Meanwhile, supporters of DK Shivakumar held special prayers ahead of their leader’s oath-taking ceremony, whereas his Kanakapura constituency was decked up with Banners and cutouts which congratulated him for becoming Chief Minister.

After decades of political manoeuvring, crisis management, and strengthening the Congress organisation in Karnataka, Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar, popularly known as DK Shivakumar, is set to take oath as Chief Minister after being elected as the Congress Legislative Party leader.

An eight-time MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Shivakumar–often described as the party’s “troubleshooter”–rose through the ranks with a strong grassroots base and a reputation for handling political crises. His close ties with senior Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, strengthened his claim to the top post after a prolonged internal leadership discussion.

Born on May 15, 1962, in Kanakapura, Shivakumar entered politics as a student leader in the 1980s. After an initial setback in 1985, he won his first Assembly election in 1989 at the age of 27 and went on to secure eight consecutive wins, building a strong base in Vokkaliga-dominated regions.

Known for his organisational skills, he has played key roles in safeguarding Congress governments in the past, including during the 2002 Maharashtra political crisis and the 2017 Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections. He has also been instrumental in party strategy in Karnataka, including the 2023 Assembly election victory.

Shivakumar has served as KPCC president since 2020 and was Deputy Chief Minister in the previous government. His career has also seen controversies, including multiple investigations by central agencies and a brief incarceration in 2019, though these did not derail his political rise.

A close confidante of the Gandhi family, Shivakumar is set to formally assume office as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, marking a key leadership transition in the state. (ANI)