Shivakumar Says No To Cabinet Rejig Now, Focus On Winning 2028
CM Siddaramaiah to go ahead with cabinet rejig which is expected to take place after winter session of Assembly
BENGALURU: Amid speculation of a cabinet reshuffle, Deputy Chief Minister and president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday “No discussion or no question of cabinet reshuffle (at the moment). No one is in a hurry (to become ministers) and we are aiming only at 2028 to retain power.”
However, buzz in Congress party on Sunday was that cabinet reshuffle is on the cards in Karnataka after high command is reported to have asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to go ahead with cabinet rejig which is expected to take place after winter session of Assembly. The winter session in Belagavi will be held from December 8 to 18.
A decision will be taken by the party leaders in the interests of the party, Shivakumar said and stated he will meet Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and president of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Mallikarjun Kharge asking them to attend foundation laying ceremony for 100 Congress offices before January. Earlier, Minister of Home Dr G. Parameshwar told reporters “When a reshuffle takes place, there is no change of guard.”
A couple of months back, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated he had received a direction from high command to go for expansion/reshuffling of the cabinet after November that is when he completes two-and-half years as Chief Minister. One of the Ministers in Siddaramaiah ministry, Minister of Revenue Krishna Byregowda offered to resign to accommodate new MLAs from the party to become a Minister.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was in New Delhi to meet top party leaders where cabinet reshuffling matters came up for discussion. It is said 12 Ministers will be axed and two vacant ministries will be filled-up in the exercise.
The two Ministries have fallen vacant over resignations from B. Nagendra and K.N. Rajanna. While Nagendra resigned over his alleged financial irregularities in Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, Rajanna was sacked over his public utterances on vote theft case.
It may be recalled here, the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has submitted report cards on the performance of each minister for it to take a decision to retain or drop them when reshuffling of cabinet exercise is undertaken in Karnataka.
