Bengalauru, May 22 (IANS) A government school teacher in Karnataka was suspended after he criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his freebie policies in a social media post.

Shanthamurthy MG, the teacher from the government school at Kaanubenahalli, Chitradurga district, was suspended on May 20 -- the same day when Siddaramaiah took over as the new Chief Minister.

Shanthamurthy had written on Facebook that among the past Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah incurred the highest debts.

"Debt during the tenure of former Chief Ministers SM Krishna was Rs 3,590 crore, Dharam Singh Rs 15,635 crore, H.D. Kumaraswamy Rs 3,545 crore, B.S. Yeddiyurappa Rs 25,653 crore, D.V. Sadananda Gowda Rs 9,464 crore, Jagadish Shettar Rs 13,464 crore and Siddaramaiah Rs 2,42,000 crore," he said.

The teacher also wrote that while the loans incurred by the state from the tenure of Krishna to Shettar was Rs 71,331 crore but it touched Rs 2,42,000 crore during Siddaramaiah's former tenure (2013-2018).

"Hence it is easy for him to announce freebies," commented the teacher.

Taking a serious note of the teacher's post, the state education department suspended him.

A district official said since the teacher violated Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1966, he was suspended. Higher officials have also ordered a departmental inquiry.

After taking office, Siddaramaiah had announced that the first cabinet meeting had given approval in principle to implement the five guarantee schemes assured in the Congress party's election manifesto.

"The details are being worked out. No matter how much money is required for the schemes, we will implement them as per our promise," he had said.

The Congress had promised Rs 2,000 a month to the female head of a family, monthly dole of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for the educated unemployed, 10 kg of free rice for every member of BPL (below poverty line) families, 200 units of free electricity to each home and free travel for women on state buses.

These poll promises are likely to cost the state an additional Rs 50,000 crore a year.

Bengaluru, May 20 (IANS) Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday took oath as the new Karnataka Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, at the swearing in ceremony of the new Congress government in the state.

The oath of office was administered to the two leaders by state Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at ceremony currently underway at the Kanteerava Stadium here.

This is the second tenure for Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister. He previously served between 2013 and 2018.

While he took oath as the 24th Chief Minister in the name of God, Shivakumar took in the name of his spiritual guru Shri Gangadhara Ajja.

While, G. Parameshwara took the oath of office in the name of the Constitution, veteran Congress leaders K.H. Muniyappa and K.J George took oath in the name of God.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yachury, CPI General Secretary D. Raja, NCP veteran Sharad Pawar are among the prominent politicians are in attendance at the ceremony.

Tamil superstar Kamal Hassan, Kannada super star Shivaraj Kumar, popular actor Duniya Vijay, actress-turned-politician Ramya, actress Nishvika Naidu, senior actress turned politician Umashree and film director, producer V. Rajendra Singh Babu attended the event.

Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar joined their hands and waved at the crowd when they arrived at the venue.

Later, Rahul Gandhi joined them as the crowd cheered. Nearly a lakh of people are attending the swearing in ceremony.

Taking to Twitter ahead of the ceremony, Rahul Gandhissaid: "Great to be back among the people of Karnataka. Looking forward to the swearing in ceremony of the new Congress government, which will be a people centric government, focussed on bringing progress."

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Congress on Thursday declared veteran party leader Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister of Karnataka and state unit chief D.K Shivakumar his only deputy after three days of consultations.

Addressing a press conference here at the party headquarters here, General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal along with Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala thanked the people of Karnataka for the "spectacular victory in favour of Congress".

"This election was clearly between the poor versus rich in Karnataka. Entire poor people and middle class people stood with Congress. Our leadership, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others worked very hard to make this victory happen," he said.

Venugopal said that Kharge spent one month in Karnataka to monitor the election whereas Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi extensively toured the state.

"We want to thank them for the same. Even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's advice and presence in the campaign strengthened our prospects and electrified our cadres. There is no word to thank her," he said.

Venugopal said, "Kharge had serious consultation with senior leaders and one to one discussion with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and we all were part of the discussion and he took views of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Finally, Kharge took a decision on the Karnataka CM issue."

"He conveyed to me to announce his decision to the media and people of Karnataka.

"He (Congress president Kharge) decided to make Siddaramaiah as the CM of Karnataka. Siddaramaiah will be the CM of Karnataka. D.K. Shivakumar will be the only one Deputy CM of Karnataka and he will continue as KPCC president till Parliament elections are over," he announced.

He said that the swearing-in ceremony will take place on May 20.

Venugopal also said that on May 13 results of polling were announced and on May 14, we had a CLP meeting, three observers were there for the CLP meeting.

"On the night of May 14 and morning of May 15 they held a one to one meeting with MLAs. Then the observers submitted their report with the party chief," he said.

Venugopal said, "We believe in consensus and not dictatorship. For the last three days we were working for consensus and there have been a group of senior leaders. Siddaramaiah is our senior leader and he contributed a lot for Congress. Tirelessly he worked for the party though the state.

He even hailed D.K. Shivakumar was a dynamic leader and said that he electrified the cadre of the party. Wherever there was a gap he reached there and filled the gap. Both are big assets of Karnataka.

Everyone has their own wish and desire to become the CM, which is nothing wrong, he said.

Venugopal also said that the party will be sending invitations to all the opposition leaders for the swearing-in ceremony.