Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar hold talks in Delhi on Karnataka cabinet expansion

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on Thursday held a series of meetings in the Capital over the Karnataka cabinet expansion, people aware of the matter said, adding that more MLAs were likely to be included in the cabinet as ministers after Friday.

The senior Karnataka leaders met Congress general secretary in-charge for state Randeep Surjewala and the party’s general secretary KC Venugopal in Delhi. They then held meetings with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge separately at his residence, those aware of the matter added.

“Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have been actively lobbying for their trusted supporters to be included in the cabinet. Kharge has cancelled his meetings for tomorrow (Friday) to finish the deliberations,” a senior Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.

The Congress had released the initial list of eight ministers for the newly formed government on May 19, including G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy, and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. They were sworn in alongside Siddaramaiah and DKS on May 20 but are yet to receive portfolio assignments.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he will allocate portfolios to the ministers in his cabinet soon, even as ex-CM Bommai questioned the delay over it in the state assembly.

“Congratulations to the chief minister and all the ministers, but it would have been appropriate if the chief minister had introduced ministers after allocating portfolios to them. Why has it not happened? It should be done at the earliest, in my opinion if it is done at the earliest it will be good,” Bommai said as soon as the ministers in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet were introduced.

The CM assured that the portfolios will be allocated to the ministers soon, saying, “We will give them the responsibility at the earliest. How long was BS Yediyurappa alone in the cabinet as the chief minister? Mr former chief minister (Bommai), you need not have any doubts, they (Ministers) will be given responsibility at the earliest.”

“Yediyurappa was alone sworn in then, so was alone, but in this case, the ministers have taken the oath. You make them minister and don’t give them the responsibility, what will the people think? “ Bommai shot back, to which, the CM said, “No one will think anything.”

Bommai replied that he was speaking on behalf of the ministers, and Siddaramaiah responded with a “Thank you for your suggestion.”