Karnataka oath ceremony turns into show of strength for opposition parties

Bengaluru: In a show of opposition unity, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah attended the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Karnataka Chief Minister on Saturday. ran away. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not present during the ceremony at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium where DK Shivakumar was sworn in as deputy chief minister and eight legislators as cabinet ministers.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states – Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh), Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan) and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) – and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) were also present. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, actor-politician Kamal Haasan, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja were also present.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, was conspicuous by her absence at the event, which was attended by thousands as the Congress sought to promote opposition unity. Banerjee has nominated TMC’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar for the programme.

A Congress leader said, “Banerjee not attending the event is kind of disappointing, especially after her recent statement that her party will support the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls where it is strong.” Banerjee recently said, “Wherever the Congress is strong, let them fight. We will support them, there is nothing wrong in that. But they will have to support other political parties as well.”

His statement came soon after the Congress won an emphatic victory over the BJP in the southern state by winning 135 seats in the 224-member assembly. Nitish Kumar told reporters, “I have been invited by the Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge). It (Karnataka assembly elections) was an important election. Also, I have old friendship with him (Siddaramaiah). I will go tomorrow.” Darbhanga on Friday.

Kumar told reporters to hold their horses when repeatedly asked about a meeting of opposition leaders that his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee has asked him to organize in Bihar.

The JD(U) chief had indicated that the meeting could be held after the elections in the southern state. He said, “Let me come back from the function tomorrow. Former Union minister M Veerappa Moily on Friday said the swearing-in ceremony can also be a launchpad for opposition unity and a show of strength and solidarity.