Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday will visit Delhi where he will meet the Congress brass amid speculations over a cabinet expansion that has been a long-standing demand in the southern state. Along with Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress' Karnataka unit chief BK Hariprasad will also visit the national capital.
The meeting will likely be held around 6 pm at party headquarters or at residences of senior leaders.
Congress MLC Kashappanavar Vijayananda Shivashankarappa believes a final decision regarding the expansion will be taken within two to three days. Meanwhile, MLA Ashok Pattan has claimed that the swearing in of new ministers could be held on Wednesday.
Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and Hariprasad had visited the national capital last week as well, but discussions regarding cabinet expansion couldn't take place because Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, were protesting outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg over NEET paper leak.
Although, they have already held the first round of talks with the Congress leadership over cabinet expansion.
Shivakumar was sworn in as chief minister on June 3 after Siddaramaiah resigned on May 28. Along with him, 13 ministers took oath. Karnataka can have a maximum of 34 ministers, including the chief minister.
Several ministers have shown their aspirants to be inducted into the cabinet, including Shivashankarappa.
"We are hopeful that the leadership will give importance to those who have worked for the party and come through the organisation. I was born and brought up in a Congress family and represent the third generation in the party. I request them to consider my name in the cabinet reshuffle," he told reporters on Sunday.
The cabinet expansion will be crucial for Shivakumar, as he looks to maintain balance between his loyalists and those of the Siddaramaiah camp ahead of the 2028 assembly elections. Reports have also claimed that the Congress leadership is mulling having multiple deputy chief ministers, but Shivakumar is reportedly against such a move.
As per reports, Shivakumar favours appointing only two deputy chief ministers. It remains to be seen how the Congress high command strikes a balance between the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps as it looks to position the state unit for the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections.
ALSO READ:
