Karnataka election results: The Congress won 135 of the state’s 224 Assembly seats and 42.9 per cent of the vote share.
The Congress will fulfil all five promises made to the people of Karnataka before last week’s Assembly election, chief minister Siddaramaiah said Saturday afternoon hours after being sworn in to the top post.
The party vowed to provide 200 units of electricity to all households, ₹2,000 per month to female heads of families and 10kg of rice for every member of a BPL (below poverty line) household, as well as ₹1,500 per month for jobless diploma holders in the 18-25 age group and ₹3,000 for unemployed graduates.
“We will give an administration which people have expected from us. Five guarantees will be passed in the cabinet meeting and an order will be issued to implement them today itself,” Siddaramaiah said after becoming CM.
Other promises will be implemented over the next five years, he said. “In the past we fulfilled what had promised and in (the) future too we will do the same.”
READ | Siddaramaiah’s thumbs-up after being sworn in as K’taka CM
The Congress leader – who realises his post at the end of a week-long tense stand-off with colleague DK Shivakumar, who was persuaded to settle for the deputy’s post – thanked Rahul Gandhi and the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ for the win.
After his oath Shivakumar said: “As I embark on a new journey to fulfil the aspirations of our people, I promise Congress govt will guarantee sustained progress and welfare of all.”
READ | 8 MLAs are ministers in Karnataka’s new cabinet: All you need to know
Earlier today Siddarmaiah and Shivakumar were sworn in as chief minister and deputy chief minister before a crowd of thousands at Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium, with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in attendance.
Speaking after the ministers were sworn in, Rahul Gandhi declared the Congress ‘doesn’t make false promises’ and said: “… first Cabinet meeting will take place in an hour or two. All five promises will be passed. We walk the talk… committed to welfare of the middle-class.”
After the swearing-in both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar set out for the Vidhana Souddha to hold that first cabinet meeting; visuals shared by news agency ANI showed the deputy chief minister bowing in front of the building as a mark of respect before entering the structure.
READ | DKS bows head outside Vidhan Soudha in show of respect | VIDEO
Eight other newly-elected Congress MLAs were sworn in as ministers, including Kharge’s son Priyank and two other chief minister candidates – G Parameshwara and MB Patil.
All eight were chosen after talks between Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and senior Congress leaders in Delhi on Friday, and ensure a cabinet representing minority communities.