Kumaraswamy's swearing-in as Karnataka CM will be Oppn's show of strength

Karnataka Chief Minister-designate H D Kumaraswamy's swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday will be used by Opposition parties for a "show of strength" against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Several prominent Opposition leaders and chief ministers, including Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, confirmed that they would attend the swearing-in of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) leader.

United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others, are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

While the Congress-JD(S) combine has a reason to cheer, a defiant BJP state unit will protest across Karnataka on Wednesday against the formation of the coalition government. The BJP is observing the occasion as the 'anti-people's mandate day' across the state.