Karnataka: CM Shivakumar to visit Delhi on Thursday, minor Cabinet revamp in three days

Bengaluru: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will visit Delhi on Thursday to pursue plans for a minor Cabinet reshuffle. He plans to drop at least two ministers and induct a woman minister.

The CM, speaking at a media event on Wednesday, said he would induct a woman legislator into the Cabinet in two-three days.

A chief purpose of Shivakumar’s Delhi visit is to get the AICC’s clearance for the Cabinet revamp, though his official programme mentions his meeting with union ministers. At a media conference in the evening, he said he was meeting party leaders in Delhi to discuss some important subjects, without elaborating.


The CM has been under pressure from Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah to induct Byadagi MLA Basavaraj Shivannanavar and Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa. AICC general secretary RS Surjewala and Shivakumar visited Krishnappa’s house to broker peace with him soon after the Cabinet expansion on August 3. Both Krishnappa and his MLA-son Priya Krishna are firm about a Cabinet berth.

The CM is keen to induct Laxmi Hebbalkar, an MLA from Belagavi district. If he succeeds, she will be a third minister from the district. The district is already represented by Satish Jarkiholi and Laxman Savadi in the Cabinet. Annapurna Tukaram, Kaneez Fatima, and Roopakala Shashidhar are also names being discussed for the woman quota.

The Congress government, which assumed office on June 3, had functioned with 20 vacant Cabinet berths before Monday's expansion. After weeks of consultations with the party high command, 19 legislators were inducted, completing the ministry while leaving one vacancy.

The expansion, however, triggered resentment among several aspirants.