Karnataka Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar met former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda at his residence in Bengaluru to seek blessings before his swearing-in ceremony. Deve Gowda warmly received Shivakumar and congratulated him on his new role. During the meeting, Shivakumar presented a bouquet to Deve Gowda and sought his blessings by touching his feet.
The meeting between the two leaders holds political significance as they have been long-time rivals in Karnataka politics. In recent times, Shivakumar and H.D. Kumaraswamy, son of Deve Gowda, engaged in verbal spats and personal attacks over political matters. Meanwhile, Congress leaders M.B. Patil and Ramalinga Reddy expressed gratitude for being invited to join the Council of Ministers under the new Chief Minister.
M.B. Patil, a close associate of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been invited to be a minister along with Shivakumar. Patil, an engineer and educationist, represents the Babaleshwar Assembly constituency. He thanked party leaders for the opportunity and mentioned that further Cabinet expansion is expected. On the other hand, Ramalinga Reddy, known for his grassroots connect, also confirmed his invitation to join the Cabinet.
