Siddaramaiah sworn-in as Karnataka Chief Minister

Mr Siddaramaiah announced the waiving of loans given to Scheduled Castes and Tribes, other Backward Castes and minorites and an increase of subsidy on housing for the poor from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh per unit.

Bhagyalakshmi beneficiaries, whose power connection had been cut due to non-payment of bills, will have a one time waiver and their power reconnected. The subsidy per litre of milk would be increased from two to four rupees to benefit farmers starting from today. And the promised 30 kg of rice per month at just one rupee per kg to below poverty line families would start in June.

Pictures of swearing in of K Siddaramaiah

The new Chief Minister says he is going to Delhi either tomorrow or day after to discuss cabinet formation with the Congress high command.

A 50 year-old Congress supporter died after attending the swearing-in ceremony at the jam packed Kanteerava stadium, police said.

The deceased was identified as Manjappa, a resident of Bangalore, who collapsed near gate number seven while coming out after the function attended by nearly 50,000 Congress supporters from across the state.

Speaking to his supporters in Kannada, Mr Siddaramaiah thanked the people of Karnataka for giving a clear mandate to the Congress. He also thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi and and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for giving him the chance to be Chief Minister. He assured the people gathered that his government would deliver on the poll promises.
 

About 50,000 people, including family members and relatives of the Mr  Siddaramaiah, were present at the grand swearing-in ceremony that was marked by cheers, applause, patriotic fervour, music and folk dances under a cloudy sky and breezy weather.

The new Chief Minister is expected to head to Delhi now to discuss his new Cabinet with the party leadership.

Among the galaxy of VIPs and political leaders present were central ministers from the state Mallikarjun Kharge, M. Veerappa Moily, K. Muniyappa and Reheman Khan, as well as Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Governor HR Bhardwaj administers oath to K Siddaramaiah. He takes oath in the name of truth, not God.

Who is Siddaramaiah?
Mr Siddaramaiah, who has the distinction of presenting as many as seven state budgets as Finance Minister, pipped veteran Congress leader and Union Labour Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge in a straight contest.

Mr Siddaramaiah was chosen on May 10 as the Congress Legislature Party leader in a hotly-contested race, edging out party veteran and Union Labour Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge.

64-year-old Siddaramaiah will be sworn in alone by the state Governor H R Bhardwaj; 50,000 people from his home district Mysore and nearby areas are expected to attend.

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