Holding a copy of the Constitution in one hand and invoking late seer Gangadhara Ajjayya in his oath, DK Shivakumar on Wednesday took charge as Karnataka’s Chief Minister in a ceremony packed with symbolism, political messaging and a carefully choreographed display of Congress unity after months of speculation over leadership transition in the state.Sworn in by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Lok Bhavan at 4.15 pm, Shivakumar began his tenure with gestures aimed at balancing politics and symbolism, offering floral tributes to the seer on stage before taking oath.Shivakumar publicly thanked Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for shaping his political journey and backing him during difficult phases in the party. He also reiterated that he would “take everyone together”, echoing the message conveyed by senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi during a phone call ahead of the ceremony“Sonia spoke to me over the phone. She has had trust in me from the beginning. She wished me and asked me to take everyone together. I assured her that I will do so,” Shivakumar told reporters.The swearing-in ceremony marked the formal end of Siddaramaiah’s tenure and the beginning of a new political arrangement in Karnataka, with the Congress leadership making visible efforts to project a smooth transition rather than a power shift.Sharing the stage with Shivakumar were outgoing CM Siddaramaiah, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, while CMs and party leaders from Congress-ruled states attended the ceremony in a show of organisational strength.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated the new CM, saying the Centre would work closely with the Karnataka Government for public welfare.The oath-taking ceremony itself reflected Karnataka’s layered social and political landscape, with ministers choosing varied invocations while taking oath.Deputy CM G Parameshwara took oath in the name of BR Ambedkar, underlining constitutional symbolism. KH Muniyappa and KJ George invoked God, while MB Patil invoked Vishwaguru Basavanna, other Sharanas and Siddheshwar Swamiji.After Governor Gehlot reminded ministers to adhere to the prescribed text, senior leaders, including Ramalinga Reddy, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byre Gowda and Priyank Kharge stuck to the official format while taking oath.The sequence again shifted with UT Khader and Eshwar Khandre invoking religious figures and spiritual traditions, while newly inducted minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah chose to take oath in the name of the Constitution.Even as the Congress sought to project generational transition, Siddaramaiah’s influence remained visible across the Cabinet composition.Except for UT Khader and first-time minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, almost all those sworn in had served in the previous Congress governments led by Siddaramaiah, a signal that while leadership has changed, the administrative core remains largely intact.The Cabinet also triggered questions over representation, with no woman legislator finding place in the first batch of ministers.Several senior faces — including HC Mahadevappa, HK Patil, Santosh Lad, Dinesh Gundu Rao and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, all of whom had served in the earlier Congress governments — were also absent from the first list.Congress leadership simultaneously moved to balance equations beyond the Cabinet as Siddaramaiah was appointed to the Congress Working Committee earlier this week, a move widely seen as accommodating the veteran leader after he stepped down after being in office for more than eight years across two terms.