Cabinet rejig or leadership change? Siddaramaiah’s Delhi meeting has Karnataka politics on edge
With the state elections over, the Congress high command is turning its attention to Karnataka to clear a delayed Cabinet reshuffle and finalise names for Rajya Sabha seats.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (File photo). Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to hold a crucial meeting with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) top brass in New Delhi Tuesday, a development that has reignited speculation regarding a state Cabinet reshuffle and transition of power.
Confirming his itinerary during a press conference at the Karnataka Congress headquarters, convened primarily to protest the Centre’s fourth consecutive fuel price hike, Siddaramaiah sought to downplay the political undertones of the high command’s summons.
“I have been invited to Delhi. The meeting is tomorrow at 11 am. I do not know the exact agenda yet. Mr (KC) Venugopal (AICC general secretary in charge of organisation) called and informed me about the meeting,” Siddaramaiah said. When pressed by reporters on whether the visit points to an imminent leadership transition, he brushed it aside, stating, “There is always speculation.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who has long been a contender for the top post, said that he too would travel to the national capital if formally summoned. Shivakumar chose not to address media queries regarding an internal change of guard, maintaining that he had no official communication on the matter.
However, hinting at a broader agenda to quell internal friction, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi said, “I think this meeting is intended to resolve the six-month-long confusion within the state unit and the party.” Jarkiholi was referring to the ongoing sparring and statements issued by loyalists of both the chief minister and his deputy. As the current government has completed three years, insiders suggest that Shivakumar is not interested in a shortened tenure if a transition occurs.
Cabinet reshuffle, Rajya Sabha strategy
Beyond the power-sharing equations, the central leadership is expected to deliberate on a long-delayed state Cabinet overhaul. A reshuffle was anticipated in November last year, but public posturing by several leaders forced the high command to delay it to avoid escalating factionalism.
Over the last month, several Cabinet hopefuls have camped in Delhi, reportedly to lobby senior leaders. Congress MLA Ashok Pattan had recently expressed confidence that the high command would take a definitive call on inducting fresh faces soon after the election results in four states were declared on May 4. Sources suggest that with the party having successfully finalised its government formation in neighbouring Kerala, focus has shifted to putting the Karnataka house in order.
The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections will also be part of the deliberations in Delhi. Given its legislative majority, Congress is comfortably positioned to win three of the four seats heading into the polls.
The four vacancies will arise upon the completion of the terms of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda, and BJP MPs Iranna Kadadi and K Narayana.
While the Congress will certainly re-nominate Kharge for one seat, several names are doing the rounds for the remaining two slots, including former Indian Youth Congress president B Y Srinivas, Supreme Court advocate Mohan Katarki, former MLA Dr Anjali Nimbalkar, and AICC spokesperson Supriya Shrinate.
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