Dharam Singh was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka on Friday after the Congress party had staked its claim to form a coalition government with Janata Dal-Secular to Governor T N Chaturvedi.

JD-S Karnataka unit chief Siddaramaiah took oath as the deputy chief minister as part of the power-sharing agreement between the two parties.

Singh said members of his Cabinet would be sworn in 'after two days'. Singh is heading the first-ever coalition government in the state.

The curtains fell on the hard bargaining between the two parties over power-sharing on Thursday night.

The agreement between the two sides is on "Maharashtra model" with Congress, being the bigger partner, getting the chief ministership and leaving the deputy's post for its junior coalition constituent.
    
Siddaramaiah had been insisting on the Chief Minister's post till the last minute but yielded after much persuasion from senior leaders.

In the assembly polls, Congress was voted out of power and BJP emerged as the single largest party with 79 seats. Losing nearly half the number of seats it held in dissolved house, Congress secured 65 and JD-S 58.