Bengaluru: D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) is likely to take oath as Karnataka’s next Chief Minister on June 3, days after Siddaramaiah stepped down from the post on May 28. Sources said, the KPCC President and former Deputy CM has finalised the date on the advice of his spiritual guru, Ajjayya of Nonavinakere Ajjayyana Mutt, who is believed to have selected the auspicious day after examining Shivakumar’s horoscope.

Meanwhile, the venue for the swearing-in ceremony is expected to be shifted to Lok Bhavan (formerly Raj Bhavan), replacing the earlier plan to hold the event on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, aimed at avoiding potential law and order challenges.

Ahead of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting at Vidhana Soudha at 4 pm today, DKS paid a brief visit to Lok Bhavan this morning to discuss the date and timing of his swearing-in ceremony and the Governor’s availability for the event.

At the CLP meeting, DKS is expected to be unanimously elected as the new CLP leader. Acting CM Siddaramaiah is likely to propose Shivakumar’s name, which is expected to be endorsed by the party’s MLAs.

Following the meeting, DKS is likely to visit Lok Bhavan again to formally stake a claim to form the new Congress Government.

Shivakumar returned to Bengaluru late last night after meeting the Congress High Command in New Delhi, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Meanwhile, Congress is learnt to have decided to hold Shivakumar’s swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan instead of the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, as lakhs of supporters from across the State are expected to attend.