Bengaluru: Party brass weighs cabinet changes as halfway mark nears
With the Karnataka government set to cross the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, pressure is mounting on the ruling Congress to carry out a cabinet reshuffle. Several legislators and ministerial aspirants are urging the party leadership to begin the process after the Bihar assembly polls.
Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, held consultations with senior functionaries in Bengaluru last week in the presence of chief minister Siddaramaiah. Sources said that a section of legislators raised the demand for a reshuffle during the meeting.
Power-sharing pact speculation grows
Adding to the political buzz is speculation of a power-sharing arrangement under which Siddaramaiah may hand over the chief minister’s post to his deputy and state party president DK Shivakumar by November. Supporters of Shivakumar are reportedly pushing for both — his elevation as CM and a cabinet reshuffle — to be executed simultaneously.
“I have said many times in the past that Shivakumar deserves to be the CM. It is long overdue,” Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna remarked, while admitting that the party high command had instructed legislators not to speak publicly on the matter.
Background: cabinet formation in 2023
When Siddaramaiah formed the government in May 2023, all 34 ministerial berths were filled, leaving many aspirants dissatisfied. At the time, the party’s central leadership had assured that those left out would be accommodated after 30 months, by replacing 50% of the ministers. Aspirants are now pressing for this commitment to be honoured.
Currently, two cabinet vacancies exist. B Nagendra resigned last June following corruption allegations, while KN Rajanna was recently sacked after criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim of “vote theft”. Scheduled Tribe legislators are demanding that both vacant posts be allotted to their community.
Community representation in spotlight
Beyond ST legislators, other communities are also seeking cabinet representation. Assembly speaker UT Khader and Congress chief whip in the council Saleem Ahmed are said to be front-runners for the Muslim quota, while senior MLC BK Hariprasad is emerging as a contender for the OBC quota.
“Being elected to the council thrice, I was supposed to be inducted into the cabinet in 2023. I represent Kittur Karnataka, which has not had a Muslim representation in the cabinet for the past 20 years. I hope it will get its due share,” Ahmed said.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah’s political secretary Naseer Ahmed acknowledged the growing demands. “It is natural for MLAs to aspire for ministerial berths. The chief minister will consult the high command before taking any decision,” he said.
High command’s role and next steps
Efforts by Siddaramaiah to reinstate Rajanna have failed so far, with the legislator not even granted an audience with central party leaders. At the same time, Shivakumar has reportedly held informal discussions with Rahul Gandhi during the Bihar Voter Adhikar Yatra about both cabinet expansion and party restructuring.
Reports suggest Siddaramaiah is expected to visit New Delhi soon for further consultations. The Congress high command is likely to take the final call, balancing the competing pressures of coalition stability, caste representation, and the party’s internal power dynamics.
Conclusion
As Karnataka Congress prepares to enter the second half of its term, both governance and political optics are at stake. Whether the high command allows a reshuffle, honours the 30-month replacement promise, or considers a leadership change will determine the state’s political trajectory in the coming months.