Karnataka Cabinet Reshuffle: Amid the reports of resurgence of internal rifts, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday will hold a key meeting with the Congress top brass in Delhi. Several senior leaders of the party, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, general secretary KC Venugopal, and Randeep Surjewala, are likely to be part of the meeting. While the exact reason behind the move has not been disclosed yet, the key agenda is most likely around the cabinet expansion and the upcoming Rajya Sabha election.
As per the reports, the Congress MLAs have been demanding the cabinet reshuffle for the past several months. The high command, too, considers a temporary reshuffle to manage the internal rift within the government. However, the reshuffle is likely to send a large message in the southern state. If the MLAs from Siddaramaiah's camp get key portfolios, it will give a hint that the party is preferring continuity.
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However, any preference for DK Shivakumar's supporters will mean that Congress is moving towards a change ahead of the 2028 assembly polls. As per the reports, the supporters of Shivakumar are seeking key portfolios as Siddaramaiah is likely to continue in the top post. They assert that it was Shivakumar who boosted the party's organisation after facing humiliating defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
However, the Siddaramaiah camp believes that the government policy has revolved around the chief minister, and a sudden change in the structure could send a negative message. The Congress high command is expected to balance the power share before the crucial Rajya Sabha polls. Apart from this, the assembly election in Karnataka will also be held in less than two years.
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The reports also suggest that the party could move Siddaramaiah to the upper house to give the CM post to Shivakumar; however, no statement has been released yet.