Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held crucial discussions with All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi on Monday regarding the upcoming cabinet reshuffle.
Following the Bihar Assembly election results, Siddaramaiah traveled to Delhi where he also met with Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to raise the issue of a cabinet reshuffle. Rahul Gandhi had advised Siddaramaiah to consult with Kharge on the matter.
At Kharge’s residence in New Delhi, the Chief Minister and the AICC President deliberated on various aspects of the cabinet reshuffle, including which ministers should be retained and who should be replaced.
In a statement prior to the meeting, Siddaramaiah said, “It will be two years on November 20 since the Congress government came to power in the state. There are 140 MLAs from our party, many of whom aspire to ministerial positions and are capable. We will meet Kharge to discuss the extent of changes recommended, and will implement as many changes as suggested.”
There has been no decision from the Congress high command regarding any leadership change at this time. Rather, the focus remains on the cabinet reshuffle, with Siddaramaiah’s leadership considered firm within party circles. Reports suggest that 10 to 12 ministers might be replaced with new faces in the impending reshuffle.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Legislative Assembly session is scheduled to commence on December 8 at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi. Ministers are preparing for the session; however, speculation remains about whether the cabinet reshuffle will occur before or after the session, causing some uncertainty among the ministers.
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