Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 5 (ANI): Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday expressed gratitude to senior Congress leadership after being entrusted with significant responsibilities in the new state cabinet, and said that his vision for governance focused on building an 'enlightened society'.

Priyank Kharge has been allocated the Home (excluding Intelligence), IT & BT, and e-Governance. This comes after the newly appointed Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday allocated portfolios among 13 ministers in his Cabinet with immediate effect.

In a post on X, the newly appointed Karnataka Home Minister wrote, 'I express my sincere gratitude to Congress party leaders Shri @kharge, Shri @RahulGandhi, Shri @DKShivakumar, Shri @siddaramiah, and Shri @rssurjewala for entrusting me with the important responsibility of serving as the Minister for the state's Home Department, IT-BT Department, and e-Governance Department in the cabinet of Shri DK Shivakumar, the new Chief Minister of the Karnataka government.'

https://x.com/PriyankKharge/status/2062704002987692231

He further thanked the people of the Chittapur constituency from where he won the 2026 state assembly election earlier in April. He said, 'In particular, I extend my endless thanks to the people of the Chittapur constituency and Kalaburagi district, as well as to the workers of the Congress party, who have continuously blessed and steadfastly supported me.'

He also outlined his broader vision to transform Karnataka into an 'enlightened society in the spirit of Buddha-Basavanna-Ambedkar.' Kharge added, 'In my sincere endeavour to transform Karnataka into an enlightened society in the spirit of Buddha-Basavanna-Ambedkar, I seek the heartfelt cooperation of everyone in the state.'

Earlier on Thursday, Shivakumar chaired his first official cabinet meeting at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, a day after he officially took charge as the 34th Chief Minister of Karnataka, marking a new era for the state.

According to a statment from the Chief Minister's office, the official cabinet meeting was attended by DCM G Parameshwara, Senior Minister Ramalinga Reddy, and all the senior bureaucrats and police officials.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister briefly met his supporters gathered outside his residence in Bengaluru. The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru, marked the formal commencement of his tenure as he accepted the mantle of leadership after former CM Siddaramaiah.

Alongside Shivakumar, senior leader G Parameshwara was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister.

The event saw the induction of another 12 legislators into the Council of Ministers, signalling the formation of a new cabinet to steer the state's governance. (ANI)