8 Congress MLAs To Take Oath As Karnataka Ministers Today — Check Names Here

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the names of eight Karnataka MLAs to be inducted in the cabinet.

Eight Congress MLAs will on Saturday rake oath as the cabinet ministers of the new Karnataka government under the leadership of CM-designate Siddaramaiah. The names include Dr. G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge (son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge), Ramalinga Reddy and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. All of them will take oath along with CM-designate Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM-designate DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Congress President meanwhile left to attend the Karnataka cabinet swearing-in ceremony.

He said, "Today is the swearing-in ceremony of the CM, Deputy CM and eight MLAs who will take oath as the ministers (in the state cabinet), everyone is attending it. I am going for the same. It is a matter of delight that a new & strong Congress Govt has come to power in Karnataka. This will benefit Karnataka and it is creating a good environment in the country."

Siddaramaiaha reached Delhi's Indira Gandhi airport late at night and left for Bengaluru for the oath-taking ceremony.

The swearing-in platform is set to be a marker of Opposition unity against the BJP as a host of leaders will descend on the southern state. The ceremony will be held at 12.30 pm at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and a host of other Opposition leaders will attend the ceremony. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has also invited leaders of JMM, RJD, Shiv Sena, SP, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, MDMK, RSP, CPI(ML), VCK, RLD, Kerala Congress and IUML for the ceremony.
However, TMC supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will give the event a miss. She has designated MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar to attend on her behalf.

The Congress came in for criticism from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala for not inviting state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the swearing-in ceremony, saying the move shows the party's immature politics and weakness, PTI reported.