Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil will now lead the state's delegation at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. This change comes after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar decided to cancel his trip at the last minute.
Shivakumar's Cancellation and BJP's Reaction
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was originally scheduled to represent Karnataka at the prestigious annual summit. However, he called off his visit citing prior official commitments in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
The WEF 2026 event coincides with the start of the Karnataka legislature's joint session on Thursday. This session will feature a special discussion against the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Shivakumar, who also serves as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, will oversee this discussion as part of a statewide campaign. Additionally, he has recently been entrusted with responsibilities for the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam.
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has strongly criticized Shivakumar's decision to pull out of the Davos visit. Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra accused the deputy chief minister of putting party interests above state development.
"This government has made its priorities unmistakably clear: not development, not governance, but mere political survival," Vijayendra stated on Sunday. He added that Shivakumar's conduct exposes the Congress leadership's apathy towards governance.
Patil's 'Execution-First' Approach for Davos
With Patil now leading the delegation, Karnataka's participation at WEF Davos will focus on an 'execution-first' strategy. The minister emphasized converting investment intentions into actual implementation on the ground.
"The state is prioritizing real investments and their conversion," Patil said in a statement issued on Sunday. "Our effort is to move investment intent swiftly toward filings, approvals, land allotments and actual execution on the ground."
During the four-day program from January 19 to 23, the Karnataka delegation plans to participate in over 45 high-level engagements. These include bilateral meetings and roundtable discussions with global industry leaders.
Key Meetings and Investment Focus
The delegation has scheduled meetings with several major international companies and institutions. The list includes:
- Amazon Web Services
- Lenovo
- Vast Space
- Coca-Cola
- Philip Morris
- Imperial College London
- Singapore Economic Development Board
Karnataka aims to attract international investors across multiple sectors. The government is particularly focusing on:
- Manufacturing
- Renewable energy
- Electronics
- Data centers
- Global Capability Centers (GCCs)
Showcasing Karnataka's Advantages
As part of the Davos program, the state delegation will host a special session titled 'Karnataka's Emerging Industry Advantage.' This session will highlight investment opportunities across key sectors and demonstrate the state's ability to support faster project commissioning.
The change in delegation leadership comes at a crucial time for Karnataka's global engagement. While Patil focuses on attracting investments in Davos, political developments continue back home with the BJP's criticism and the legislature's upcoming session.
