Will Karnataka Get a New CM? Siddaramaiah-DK Shivakumar Talks Reach Delhi

Political moves inside the Karnataka Congress are gaining speed, with attention shifting from Bengaluru to Delhi. Power-sharing talks and the contest over the Chief Minister’s post have now reached the party high command, while the state cabinet has seen key portfolio changes even as questions over a possible leadership change remain open.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with several Congress MLAs, have left for Delhi after a call from the high command. Party circles are speculating whether leaders in Delhi will halt any move for a change of leadership or give approval for a structured transfer of power within the government.

Karnataka Congress leadership, cabinet reshuffle and Siddaramaiah portfolios

Amid this churn in the Karnataka Congress, the state cabinet has been quietly realigned. A formal notification from Raj Bhavan states that Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister K. Venkatesh, and Siddaramaiah, have been entrusted with additional responsibilities. These changes follow recent resignations and a death in the cabinet, which left important departments without full-time ministers.

Health and family welfare issues had earlier affected Planning and Statistics Minister Dr. D. Sudhakar, who “ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಅನಾರೋಗ್ಯದಿಂದ ನಿಧನರಾಗಿದ್ದರು.” After Dr. D. Sudhakar’s death, the Planning and Statistics portfolio has now been allotted as an additional charge to K. Venkatesh, who continues to handle the Animal Husbandry and Sericulture departments in the Karnataka Congress-led government.

Karnataka Congress cabinet reshuffle, resignations and Siddaramaiah role

The Karnataka Congress government also had to deal with vacancies caused by resignations. K.N. Rajanna stepped down from the Cooperation Department, while B. Nagendra resigned from the Youth Empowerment and Sports and Scheduled Tribes Welfare departments. Siddaramaiah has decided not to reassign these ministries yet, choosing instead to keep them under the Chief Minister’s control.

At present, Siddaramaiah handles several major portfolios that influence policy and administration in Karnataka. In addition to the Chief Minister’s office, Siddaramaiah retains Finance, Parliamentary Affairs, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information and Public Relations, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Scheduled Tribes Welfare and Cooperation, excluding Agriculture Marketing, along with all other unallocated departments.

Karnataka Congress high command, cabinet reshuffle and Siddaramaiah trip

For weeks, speculation in the Karnataka Congress suggested that a cabinet reshuffle would remove some ministers and induct new faces. K. Venkatesh’s name was mentioned among those who might be dropped. The latest decision to give K. Venkatesh extra charge has therefore raised doubts over whether any immediate cabinet reshuffle will actually take place.

Many MLAs have been pressing for a cabinet overhaul, arguing that performance and regional balance need review. Due to this pressure, several legislators, along with Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, are heading to Delhi to present their views before the national leadership of the Congress and seek clarity on future cabinet changes.

If the Karnataka Congress high command decides against a cabinet reshuffle, leaders admit that the response of ministerial hopefuls will be watched carefully. Their next steps, and how they react to stalled expansion, could influence internal equations within the Congress in Karnataka over the coming months, especially with Siddaramaiah now handling a wide range of portfolios.