Karnataka highlights: Kumaraswamy promises farm loan waiver, Modi, Rajnath congratulate him | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Karnataka highlights: Kumaraswamy promises farm loan waiver, Modi, Rajnath congratulate him

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByHT Correspondent
May 24, 2018 09:00 AM IST

HD Kumaraswamy took oath on Tuesday as Karnataka chief minister in a ceremony attended by opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav among others. Here are the live updates:

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy took oath as Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday, a week after the state election threw up a hung assembly and resulted in BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa serving as chief minister for a little over two days.

Opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Pawar with newly sworn-in Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy (third from right) at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Wednesday.(ANI Photo/Twitter)
Opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Pawar with newly sworn-in Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy (third from right) at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Wednesday.(ANI Photo/Twitter)

The ceremony was attended by a host of opposition leaders and chief ministers, a development that could plant a seed for a broad-based anti-BJP front before the Lok Sabha election next year.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Karnataka Congress president G Parameshwara was also sworn-in as the deputy chief minister and Ramesh Kumar, a former minister and Congress leader, will be the next assembly speaker.

The Congress will have 22 ministers and the JD(S) 12, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state KC Venugopal said, adding that they would be sworn-in after the floor test slated for Friday.

Follow live updates here:

8:15pm: Session of Karnataka Assembly to be convened on May 25 at 12.15 pm, reports news agency ANI.

7:10pm:

7:05pm: “I am going to waive off farmers’ loans,” says Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy at a press conference after his swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru.

6:45pm: “Congratulations to H.D. Kumaraswamy and G. Parameshwar on taking oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. I hope, Karnataka will move forward towards peace, progress and prosperity under the new government,” Union home minister Rajnath Singh says in a tweet.

6:40pm:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Kumaraswamy and congratulated him on taking oath as chief minister of Karnataka: ANI.

6:30pm: Kumaraswamy, at a press conference after his swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru, says leaders who came from all over country wanted to give a message to the nation that we are one and in 2019 there will be a major change in the political situation. “They were not here to protect this government... this government will be protected by local Congress leaders and our (JD(S)) leaders,” he adds.

6:15pm: “This coalition government (Congress-JD(S)) will run better than any one party government and we will concentrate on working for the public. We have decided to work together for the betterment of the state,” says new Karnataka chief minister Kumaraswamy at a press conference after his swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru.

5:40pm: CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury congratulates Kumaraswamy and Parameshwara in a tweet. “Parties from all over India stand with you. May this be the first step towards ensuring BJP and RSS don’t steal elections,” Yechury says on Twitter.

4:37pm:

4:36pm: Congress leader G Parameshwara takes oath as deputy chief minister of Karnataka.

4:33pm: JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy takes oath as chief minister, administered by Governor Vajubhai Vala.

4:22pm: JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy’s brother HD Revanna, G Parameshwara, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi among other leaders reach Vidhana Soudha.

4:18pm: JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy arrives at the Vidhana Soudha.

4:15pm: Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati reach Vidhana Soudha ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

4:00pm:

3:38pm: Rains could delay swearing-in ceremony scheduled to take place in an open area in Vidhan Soudha.

3:09pm: Chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) and Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh) meet with CPM’s Sitaram Yechury ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

2:58pm: Heavy rains lash Bengaluru.

2:38pm: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrive in Bengaluru for swearing-in ceremony.

2:20pm: Congress legislator DK Shivakumar says no one in the party is unhappy and all are together. “We are celebrating that our government is coming to power. I never said that I’m an aspirant for Karnataka chief minister post. All is well,” says Shivakumar ahead of Kumaraswamy swearing-in.

2:06pm: Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Pawar and Akhilesh Yadav arrive in Bengaluru to attend Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in ceremony later this evening, ANI reports.

1:28pm: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu arrive in Bengaluru. “We’ve come here to witness swearing in ceremony of Kumaraswamy and express our solidarity to him. In future, we’ll work together to protect and promote national interest. We’re here to strengthen all regional parties,” Naidu and Banerjee say.

1:13pm: At a party press conference in Delhi, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot says democracy has won in Karnataka. “Kumaraswamy will prove majority in floor test,” he says.

12:45pm: BJP is observing an Anti-People’s Mandate Day in Karnataka in protest against the swearing-in of Kumaraswamy and the Congress-JD(S) coalition forming the state government. “Hunger, greed and power is the basis of JD(S)-Congress alliance; such alliance will not even last three months,” says former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, according to ANI.

Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa along with BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje and other party supporters protest against the coalition government by Janta Dal (Secular) and Congress at Maurya Circle in Bengaluru. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo)
Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa along with BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje and other party supporters protest against the coalition government by Janta Dal (Secular) and Congress at Maurya Circle in Bengaluru. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

12:10pm: Shiv Sena says no party member will be attending Kumaraswamy’s swearing in but adds that their best wishes are with him. “HD Deve Gowda ji invited Uddhav ji hoping someone from us would come, but all of us are busy for Palghar Lok Sabha by-election. So we can’t go but our best wishes are with him,” Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut tells ANI.

11:12am: Kumaraswamy says, “All the promises made in the manifesto will be implemented. Safeguarding the interest of the farming community is our top priority.”

10:20am: G Parameshwar, who is set to be sworn in as deputy chief minister, thanks party leaders. Asked about Roshan Baig and DK Shivakumar also in the running for deputy CMs, Parameshwara says, “It’s the high command which decides all these, they chose me. I thank them immensely but the point is they’re also eligible but they gave me this opportunity,” ANI reports.

8:41am: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao met Kumaraswamy on Tuesday in Bengaluru to extend his greetings. Rao will not be present at the swearing-in ceremony.

8:30am: The BJP’s Karnataka unit said it would protest the state government formation by the JD(S)-Congress coalition. BJP’s Yeddyurappa was sworn in last Thursday after the governor invited him to form government. He resigned two days later ahead of a trust vote in the assembly.

8am: Celebrations begin for Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in ceremony. Folk dancers and musicians put up a street show outside his house.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On