VIJAYAPURA: Congress MLC and Chief Whip of the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed has claimed that the party high command is expected to give its nod for a cabinet reshuffle and expansion in May or June after the end of Assembly polls to four states and one union territory.
Saleem told reporters that many Congress MLAs and MLCs have already appealed to the high command for a reshuffle to allow other legislators to become ministers. “Congress leaders had made this appeal and also urged the party leaders to depute 50% of the present senior ministers to the job of party building and replace them with new faces,” he claimed.
To a question, Saleem said he too is an aspirant. He, however, claimed that since he is a devoted party functionary, therefore, he does not carry any discontent with the party for not making him a minister so far. Saleem claimed there is no rift between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. “Our CM and DCM have already made it clear on record that they are working in complete harmony. Now as far as changing of CM is concerned, it is left to the discretion of the party’s central leadership,” he said.