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NEW DELHI: Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony in Karnataka, Chief Minister designate Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday evening.
Both leaders arrived at the national capital to meet the senior leaders of the Congress party and discuss the cabinet formation.
However, Shivakumar on arriving in Delhi said that they have come to personally invite the senior leaders to the ceremony.
“We have come to meet our leaders, Rahul Ji, Sonia Ji, Priyanka Ji, and Kharge Ji to invite our leaders for tomorrow. They had come and given their sweat and proper directions. So, I wanted to invite them personally. Later, we are discussing the cabinet formation,” Shivakumar told the reporters.
He added, “After all, the five guarantees that have been promised are no DK Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah guarantees, these are Congress guarantees. These guarantees were given by our leaders. And as our senior leaders said we want the guarantees to be passed in the first cabinet meeting”
On being asked about the Opposition leaders who will be attending the ceremony, Shivakumar said that it will be decided by the AICC president.
Priyank Kharge, son of Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader assured to fulfil five Guarantees in the first Cabinet Meeting.
“Absolutely, that is the commitment and the congress will do that (5 commitments to fulfil in the first cabinet meeting given during the campaign),” he added.
Five Guarantees promised by Congress during the campaign are 200 units of free power, Rs 2,000 for the woman head of a family, 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household, Rs 3,000 a month for unemployed degree holders, and Rs 1,500 a month for diploma holders for two years and free bus rides for women.
After days of deliberation, Congress on Thursday announced that party leader Siddaramaiah will be the next Karnataka Chief Minister and DK Shivakumar will be Deputy Chief Minister.
Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal made the announcement at the party headquarters in the national capital.
He said Shivakumar will continue as state Congress chief till the Lok Sabha polls. He will be the only Deputy chief minister.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday invited Chief Minister-designate Siddaramaiah to take oath on Saturday.
The oath ceremony will take place at 12.30 pm on May 20 in Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru. DK Shivakumar will also take oath along with team members.
Congress bagged 135 seats in the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ousting the ruling BJP, which got 66 seats while the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19 seats.
