BENGALURU: The crucial meeting between Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and state Congress leaders, including Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, to discuss the long-pending expansion of the Karnataka cabinet has been deferred to Thursday because of the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament and other political developments in New Delhi.
The meeting was earlier scheduled for Wednesday. With this, the suspense over the long-pending cabinet expansion continues.
“Discussions have taken place. Final talks with our high command leaders are pending. Our leaders have said they will call us for discussions,” Shivakumar said.
Even as the Lok Bhavan is ready to hold the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, Rahul’s nod seems to be hard to come by. It is to be seen whether he will hold talks with state leaders and approve the final list on Thursday, allowing the expansion on Friday.
Certain key Bills are likely to come up for debate in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Thursday, for which both Rahul and All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, are required to be present. “State Congress leaders are not sure if Kharge and Rahul will talk to them on Thursday,” a Congress insider said.
The final list of 18 MLAs to be sworn in is ready as AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal held talks with Shivakumar, former CM Siddaramiah and KPCC president B K Hariprasad on Tuesday evening. Two posts will be kept vacant to tackle any dissidence or protests by supporters of MLAs who may not make the cut, sources added.
State leaders have arrived at a consensus for 14 MLAs to be made ministers, but differences persist over the remaining vacancies, sources said.
Meanwhile, CM Shivakumar on Wednesday held talks with the Belagavi leaders Laxman Savadi, Laxmi Hebbalkar and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, asking them to iron out their differences.
In the meantime, the Glass House at Lok Bhavan has been kept ready as the authorities there had been orally alerted about the likely swearing-in at 4.30 pm on Thursday. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is also expected to return from his tour of Madhya Pradesh by then.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Wednesday confirmed that the Lok Bhavan had been informed about the oath-taking ceremony. He cited Rahul’s hectic schedule for the delay in expansion. Party leaders, including Rahul, Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretaries, Shivakumar and Siddaramiah, will discuss and take the final decision on the expansion, which is likely in a day or two, the sources added.
“Rahul Gandhi was on a foreign trip, and there was no opportunity for discussion. Since the Parliament session is on, that should be a priority rather than the expansion,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
On appointing more Deputy Chief Ministers, Dr Parameshwara said he has no information about it.