Opp. leaders to attend Sidda’s swearing-in Sat

New Delhi, May 18: Leaders of several like-minded Opposition parties are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister-designate Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday in Bengaluru.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has extended the invitation to several chief ministers and party leaders and personally invited them to the event.

Mr Kharge sent an invitation to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and he is likely to attend the swearingin.

“The CM is likely to leave on Saturday from Ranchi to attend the ceremony and return the same day,” sources close to Soren said. Mr Soren, who is in Delhi, had met Mr Kharge on May 16 and congratulated him on the Congress’ victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections.

Mr Kharge has also invited Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. Invitations have also been sent to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah.

Mr Kharge also personally called up CPI general secretary D. Raja and he has confirmed his participation at the swearingin.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will attend the swearingin of Congress government in Karnataka, JD(U) spokesperson Rajib Ranjan said.

The Congress president and Karnataka chief minister-designate Siddaramaiah called up Stalin over phone on Thursday and invited him to participate in the swearing-in ceremony on May 20, an official release in Chennai said.