DK Shivakumar was unanimously elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Karnataka on Saturday, paving the way for him to take over as chief minister while capping a leadership transition in the southern state that came about after his predecessor Siddaramaiah stepped down at the instance of the central Congress leadership.The Governor invited Shivakumar to take oath as the Karnataka CM on June 3. (X/ @ANI)Siddaramaiah proposed Shivakumar’s name at a legislature party meeting at the Vidhan Soudha, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, who oversaw the meeting, said.“Congress high command suggested DK Shivakumar’s name as the leader of the CLP. Siddaramaiah ji proposed his name at the meeting and [state home minister] G Parameshwara seconded it. I am proud to announce that the Karnataka CLP has unanimously elected DK Shivakumar as its leader,” Venugopal said.After his election, Shivakumar, accompanied by Siddaramaiah and other party leaders, called on governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Lok Bhavan and staked claim to form a new government. According to an official communication, the oath of office ceremony will take place at 4:05 pm on June 3 on the Lok Bhavan premises.“Humbled to be unanimously elected as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party...We remain committed to serving the people of the state with dedication, integrity and purpose,” Shivakumar posted on X.With the leadership question settled, attention has now shifted to the composition of the next cabinet. Leaders aware of the matter said two deputy chief ministers are likely to be appointed — state Public Works Department (PWD) minister Satish Jarkiholi, a Dalit leader, and MB Patil, a Lingayat leader.Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, is also expected to enter the cabinet. “Rahul Gandhi and other leaders have said that I should be given a post in the cabinet and should be allowed to grow… I am definitely an aspirant for a cabinet post,” Yathindra said on Saturday.The election of Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga leader who served as the deputy chief minister in the Siddaramaiah government, as CLP leader came two days after Siddaramaiah resigned as Karnataka chief minister, ending months of uncertainty over the Congress leadership transition in the state.“Many people believed this transition would be difficult for the Congress and that it could create major problems within the party. But ours is a family. Everyone stood behind Siddaramaiah, and he made it clear that only the Congress is in his heart,” Venugopal said.Venugopal also signalled a continuing role for Siddaramaiah within the party. “We will not allow you to rest. Your service is needed for the Congress in Karnataka and at the national level as well,” he said.After resigning on Thursday, Siddaramaiah had said that he turned down an offer to move to the Rajya Sabha and would continue as a member of the legislative assembly (MLA).After the meeting, Venugopal hailed Shivakumar’s rise through the party ranks, recalling his journey from the Congress students’ wing to the party’s state unit.“His love and loyalty for the Congress are unmatched. His 24/7 hard work has finally made him chief minister… Under the leadership of Shivakumar, the Congress will return to power again with the support of Siddaramaiah in the 2028 assembly election in Karnataka,” he said.As Shivakumar came out of the meeting, a large number of supporters, who gathered outside chanted “DK, DK” and hailed his elevation.The transition brings to a close manoeuvring and parleys within the Congress’s state unit and high command over the chief minister’s post that started soon after the party achieved its biggest victory in a generation in Karnataka in 2023. Siddaramaiah , who built a grassroots coalition of backward classes, Dalits and Muslims that propelled the Congress to a rare victory against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), became chief minister --his second term --after a power-sharing arrangement that would have seen him make way for Shivakumar, the party’s chief troubleshooter and fundraiser, midway through the five-year term. But that failed to materialise until Thursday when the state’s longest-serving chief minister stepped aside. It came two days after the party leadership called both leaders to Delhi and held marathon meetings during which the high command pushed Siddaramaiah to make way for the transition.“Many times, egos and personal issues become so important in politics, but the way Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Venugopal and Surjewala handled it, it was really wonderful. It was emotional, something that we will never forget in our lives,” Dinesh Gundu Rao, who served as health minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet, said.The legislature party also adopted a resolution moved by Shivakumar thanking Siddaramaiah for his tenure as chief minister.“The Congress Legislative Party expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Siddaramaiah for his invaluable service to the people of Karnataka and the Congress party,” the resolution stated.It said party workers and the public would remember Siddaramaiah’s tenures as chief minister from 2013 to 2018 and from 2023 to 2026, as well as his two terms as Leader of the Opposition.The resolution also hailed his commitment to social justice, administrative abilities, adherence to the party’s ideology and faith in the party leadership as qualities that would serve as an example for Congress workers. It also expressed hope that he would continue to guide the party and support its development agenda.