Bangalore, Aug 4 (IANS) D.V. Sadananda Gowda was Thursday sworn in as Karnataka’s 20th chief minister at a brief ceremony on the lawns of Raj Bhavan here.


Governor H.R. Bhardwaj administered the oath of office to Gowda as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) second chief minister in south India at 4.30 p.m.

The 58-year-old Gowda took oath in Kannada in the presence of several dignitaries, former BJP ministers, including his predecessor B.S. Yeddyurappa, opposition leaders, top civil and police officials, his family members and hundreds of his supporters.

The absence of former rural development minister Jagadish Shettar, who lost to Gowda in the election to the post of the BJP legislature party leader Wednesday, was conspicuous though party’s Bangalore South MP H.N. Anantha Kumar was present.

Contrary to reports during the day, only Gowda took oath and no other lawmaker or party leader was sworn in as minister.

Gowda, who represents the party in the Lok Sabha from Udupi-Chickmaglur constituency, has to be elected to the state legislative assembly or nominated to the legislative council in the next six months to continue as chief minister.