Karnataka Cabinet: Rahul Gandhi talks to DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah to finalise list after Mallikarjun Kharge’s return to Delhi

AICC leader Rahul Gandhi discussed Karnataka’s Cabinet expansion with chief minister DK Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Pradesh Congress Committee president BK Hariprasad and AICC general secretary RS Surjewala in Delhi on Thursday.

The discussions were, however, incomplete as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge was away in Bengaluru and general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal was indisposed.

The AICC leaders will meet again after Kharge returns to Delhi.


Rahul Gandhi, who held preliminary talks with Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, said he will have detailed discussions with Kharge and call the two leaders to Delhi again if wider consultations are needed.

Hariprasad Factor

Siddaramaiah is said to be pitching for Hariprasad’s inclusion in the Cabinet, arguing that it would establish better coordination between the party and government, and strengthen the Congress party’s OBC vote bank. The 72-year-old OBC leader is a member of the state’s upper house, and kicked up a storm, last month, when he said those who wanted power could go with Shivakumar and those who wanted the party could join him.

Shivakumar and Hariprasad are not best of friends, but Siddaramaiah and Hariprasad have patched up. The Siddaramaiah camp, sources say, believes Hariprasad’s induction into the Cabinet will strengthen the former CM’s hand and may help keep the CM in check.

There are about 50 aspirants for the 20 open positions in Shivakumar’s ministry, a source close to the CM told ET, adding that swearing in of new ministers is likely to happen within the next five-six days.

A chief minister usually avoids auspicious events like Cabinet expansion in Aashada masa (July 14-August 12), but the party has no option now as the first legislature session, under Shivakumar, is scheduled to begin on August 6. The CM is keen that the new ministers must familiarize themselves with their departments before the session begins.

Shivakumar was sworn in as chief minister on June 3 along with 13 ministers, and has avoided making any controversial remarks, instead seeking to infuse dynamism with one action or another. He successfully turned a Bengalurean’s frequent rant about bad roads into a wave of appreciation by backing the footpath clearance drive helmed by his cabinet colleague Krishna Byre Gowda.