BENGALURU: Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday evening and proposed a cabinet reshuffle, the latter suggested that another round of talks with LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal is required before a final decision is taken, sources said.
After holding deliberations with both Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Kharge seems to have put the ball back in Rahul’s court.
The Grand Old Party, recovering from intense drubbing in Bihar polls, is likely to take time before deciding on any change in the cabinet or CM’s post. Excise Minister RB Timmapur told reporters in Delhi that he did not feel a cabinet reshuffle is on the cards anytime soon.
But the Siddaramaiah camp is upbeat that Kharge gave a green signal for the reshuffle, may be after the Karnataka winter legislature session starting December 8. The high command will also take Shivakumar, who is insisting on a change in leadership, into confidence before making any changes, sources said.
On Saturday, Siddaramaiah met Rahul and pitched for the reshuffle. That prompted Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh to meet Kharge on Sunday. Shivakumar reportedly insisted that the change in CM’s post be addressed first.
Both the leaders claimed that their visit to Delhi had nothing to do with politics and it was on development issues they would like to take up with the Centre. “The high command had asked me to reshuffle the cabinet 4-5 months ago when the government completed two years. I had suggested that I wished to do it after two-and-a-half years,” Siddaramaiah told reporters before meeting Kharge. Asked whether many MLAs are lobbying for berths, he said all the 142 deserve it.
“MLAs and MLCs have the right to become ministers. The CM has the power to induct them. They have sacrificed and worked for the party. That’s why they aspire for power. Can we say that is wrong,” asked Shivakumar after returning from Delhi. Asked whether there will be a cabinet reshuffle or change in leadership, he said, “Ask some astrologer. I have not had any political discussions with Kharge. I requested him to fix a date for the foundation stone laying ceremony of new party offices,” he said.
Siddaramaiah’s plan to reshuffle cabinet led to some senior MLAs lobbying in Bengaluru and some following him to Delhi. Former cooperation minister KN Rajanna requested him to convince the high command to bring him back, sources said.