HD Kumaraswamy takes oath as Karnataka CM; leaders across national political spectrum bury hatchets, make new friends

On Wednesday evening, as HD Kumaraswamy took oath as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka, the swearing-in ceremony was a glittering affair, attended by Opposition leaders across party lines. With Congress being in alliance with the JDS in Karnataka, almost all senior Congress leaders were present at the ceremony and an array of Opposition leaders from various regional also flew to Bengaluru to attend the event. Here are some of the best moments from the ceremony: [caption id=“attachment_4480987” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Opposition leaders at HD Kumaraswamy’s swearing in. PTI[/caption] Sharad Pawar of NCP, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, M Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress, Mayawati of Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Ajit Singh, Sitaram Yechury of the CPM, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party and the Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal were all in attendance, making it a star-studded affair. [caption id=“attachment_4481017” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Opposition leaders at HD Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in. PTI[/caption] In all, there were eight former or serving chief ministers at the swearing-in ceremony. Some of these included bitter political rivals in their own home states, but those who have seemingly joined forces to counter the BJP. These include the TMC and the CPM, who have remained bitter rivals in West Bengal; SP and BSP which remained rivals in Uttar Pradesh before recently coming together; and even Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal who ran his entire a campaign in Delhi against the Congress party’s supposedly corrupt ways. [caption id=“attachment_4481049” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Pinarayi Vijayan and Siddaramaiah. PTI[/caption] One man who cut a forlorn and rather subdued figure, however, was Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. While he made his appearance and posed for photographs, he did so in a dour manner. There was none of the good cheer seen among the others. And immediately after the swearing-in was concluded, he beat a hasty retreat. [caption id=“attachment_4481105” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Congress’ Sonia Gandhi with BSP chief Mayawati. PTI[/caption] The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) came together with Samajwadi Party to form an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for by-elections in March, and it appears that the Congress too is on the verge of joining them. At least it would appear so going by the warm hug shared by Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati. [caption id=“attachment_4481117” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  HD Kumaraswamy with former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. PTI[/caption] And it wasn’t just the national leaders who seem to have buried the hatched. HD Kumaraswamy and his predecessor Siddaramaiah had a falling-out when the latter was in the JD(S). In fact, so bitter was their rivalry that _Firstpost_ earlier reported how they “have reached the point of no return”. “He and Gowda (or his son HD Kumaraswamy) not only can’t see eye to eye but can’t even breathe the same air in the same room for any length of time,” it was said. Clearly, going by this image, another rivalry has seen the hatchet buried.