Bengaluru
-Swastika Sruti
Karnataka is preparing for a change at the top as DK Shivakumar is set to be sworn in as Chief Minister on June 3, yet the official Chief Minister’s residence, the Cauvery bungalow, is likely to keep its current occupant, Siddaramaiah, under an unusual power-sharing understanding within the Congress.
Karnataka CM-designate DK Shivakumar’s swearing-in is set for June 3, but Siddaramaiah may retain the official Cauvery bungalow residence under an unusual power-sharing understanding within the Congress party.
While DK Shivakumar prepares to take charge of the government, Siddaramaiah is stepping down from the Chief Minister’s post but, according to sources, may continue to live in the Cauvery bungalow, which is traditionally reserved for the sitting Chief Minister in Karnataka.
Leadership change and residence plan
Under the reported arrangement, Siddaramaiah is expected to retain formal allotment of the Cauvery residence and stay there until 2028, even without holding the office, while DK Shivakumar will initially operate from a private home and later shift to another government-allotted accommodation instead of moving into the Cauvery bungalow.
Party insiders describe this as an amicable understanding between the two senior Congress leaders, designed to support a smooth leadership transition, with Siddaramaiah continuing at the iconic address and DK Shivakumar focusing on administrative responsibilities from an alternative official base that will be decided at a later stage.
Karnataka Cabinet 2.0 and DK Shivakumar: cabinet composition talks
As this residential arrangement takes shape, attention within the Congress is also turning to the structure of Karnataka Cabinet 2.0, with intense consultations underway in Delhi, where senior party figures are discussing portfolios and representation ahead of the swearing-in ceremony for DK Shivakumar’s new government.
On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah met the Congress leadership in the national capital to discuss roles in Karnataka Cabinet 2.0, while Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge also held talks with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge amid speculation about Priyank Kharge’s responsibilities in the incoming administration.
