Congress workers sprinkle cow urine, perform puja to ‘purify’ Karnataka Assembly ahead of new govt's first session

Congress workers sprinkled cow urine and performed a 'puja' outside the Karnataka Assembly building in Bengaluru on Monday morning. Party workers claimed they were 'purifying' the building before the newly elected Congress government held its first session.

In a video seen online, Congress workers were seen carrying a bucket - reportedly filled with cow urine - and sprinkling its contents via leaves dipped in the liquid.

Meanwhile, during the first session of the new Karnataka Assembly, which is scheduled to end on Wednesday, governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered oaths to elected lawmakers and senior Congress leader RV Deshpande was elected the new pro-tem Speaker.

Announcing the three-day session chief minister Siddaramaiah said, "We are calling the Assembly session for three days - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We are requesting the governor - because the new Assembly has to be constituted before May 24. Senior-most MLA RV Deshpande has been requested to be the Protem Speaker... to administer oaths to MLAs."

Siddaramaiah was sworn in as chief minister on Saturday. The Congress' state unit leader, DK Shivakumar, was sworn in as his deputy and eight MLAs, including former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and party boss Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank, became ministers.

The ceremony was administered by the governor and was held at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium - the same place Siddaramaiah took oath when he became CM in 2013.

The Congress recorded a landslide victory in Karnataka Assembly election, winning 135 out of 224 seats. The BJP came a distant second with 66 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) won 19.