BENGALURU: With Chief Minister DK Shivakumar holding discussions with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday evening, the cabinet expansion is likely to be formalised soon. However, suspense lingers over who will make it to the cabinet.
The swearing-in is to be held at Glass House of Lok Bhavan at 5pm Monday, with 18 of the 20 vacancies likely to be filled; two will be kept vacant to tackle any developments and angst that may result in the aftermath. Two women are likely to be inducted into the cabinet, according to sources.
“CM and PCC president will tell you the date of cabinet expansion. CM DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and PCC president have already gone back (to Bengaluru) to take care of the ground situation in the state,” AICC general secretary and state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, who was part of the discussions, told reporters after the meeting. He refused to divulge further saying “...have no comments to make at this juncture”.
AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, who is expected to arrive in Bengaluru on Sunday with the final list of MLAs, said the names will be known only at the time of swearing-in, and that the CM will decide the date.
Since Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay Joseph arriving on Monday to hold talks with Shivakumar is in limbo, owing to escalation of farmers’ protests in the state, the government could go ahead with the swearing-in of the new ministers. Sources said the two CMs may choose to hold virtual talks.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will return from his Madhya Pradesh tour on Friday, and will be busy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event scheduled in Mysuru on Saturday. On Sunday, the CM will be busy with the all-party meeting over the Cauvery water issue.
The delay in cabinet expansion drew criticism from the BJP which said the entire government had shifted to Delhi, ignoring the state’s interests over the Cauvery issue. This forced Rahul to resolve the cabinet expansion imbroglio and ensure that state leaders rush back to Bengaluru to engage in their duties, sources said.
Rahul held one-on-one talks with state leaders, besides deliberations with Kharge, AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala for about one-and-half-hours. State leaders who met Venugopal on Tuesday evening had agreed on 15 legislators to be made ministers.
There were some contentions over the remaining five vacancies, which the high command is expected to resolve and send the final list by Sunday. The issue of inducting former minister Zameer Ahmed Khan also came up for discussion, according to sources.
Senior MLA Basavaraj Rayaraddi, quoting sources privy to the high command, told reporters that the cabinet expansion is likely to take place on Monday.