Cabinet reshuffle, filling four Legislative Council seats likely to top CM’s agenda during talks with Congress top brass

A file photo of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge having a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
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Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who will leave for Delhi on Wednesday along with his Cabinet colleagues to inaugurate the newly constructed Karnataka Bhavan building ‘Kaveri’, is certain to hold meetings with the Congress top brass amid speculation of the State Cabinet reshuffle.

During talks with the high command, the Chief Minister is expected to finalise candidates for the four vacancies in the State Legislative Council and the demand of a section of the party leaders on the replacement of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.

The State Cabinet has not been reshuffled since the formation of the government in May 2023. Several senior legislators, who have not been accommodated in the Ministry, have been lobbying with the high command for their inclusion in the Cabinet by dropping the “poor” performers.

Multiple aspirants

During talks with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar are also expected to finalise candidates to fill the four vacant seats in the Legislative Council. More than two dozen aspirants, including journalists and veteran party leaders, have been lobbying for the seats.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has not visited the national capital for a couple of months owing to health issues, is expected to explain the necessity of continuing him in his post to provide political stability as the party is bracing for elections to rural and urban local bodies.

One-to-one meeting

During the one-to-one meeting with Mr. Gandhi, the Chief Minister is expected to explain issues related to the honey-trap case raised by Minister K.N. Rajanna in the Legislative Assembly, the gold smuggling case involving the stepdaughter of an IPS officer, and the quota provided to Muslims in the civil contract works.

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa too are expected to hold talks with Mr. Kharge, Mr. Gandhi, and AICC general secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala and are expected to raise the issue related to change of KPCC president.

For the last few months, loyalists of the Chief Minister have been demanding the replacement of Mr. Shivakumar and this has not gone well with the latter. The loyalists are also likely to propose the creation of two more posts of Deputy Chief Minister.

The Karnataka Bhavan building ‘Kaveri’ at Chanakyapuri in Delhi which will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
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On Wednesday evening, Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar, Ministers and Union Ministers from Karnataka and MPs from the State would take part in the inauguration of the Karnataka Bhavan building ‘Kaveri’ at Chanakyapuri in Delhi.

Worth ₹140 crore

The project, first approved in 2019, witnessed its cost escalate to approximately ₹140 crore under successive State governments. The new structure replaces the 50-year-old Karnataka Bhavan building that was declared unsafe by the New Delhi Municipal Council. The ‘Kaveri’ building features exclusive suites for the State’s Governor, the Chief Minister, the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice, and other VVIPs.