Bengaluru: Chief minister DK Shivakumar, former CM Siddaramaiah, and state Congress president BK Hariprasad are expected to be summoned to Delhi this week for consultations with the Congress high command on expanding the cabinet.Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to return this week from an overseas tour, will hold discussions with the three senior Karnataka functionaries before the final list of ministers is approved.Responding to criticism over the delay, Shivakumar Monday said the legislature session will convene from Aug 6, and he will visit Delhi a day prior if the high command fixes a meeting. “I will go when summoned. I am also scheduled to travel to Delhi for official work before that,” he said.However, even if talks in Delhi conclude smoothly, sources say the actual induction may not happen immediately. They cite the inauspicious Ashadha month, which begins Wednesday (July 15) and ends Aug 12.Shivakumar was sworn in on June 3 with only 13 ministers, leaving 20 berths vacant. Since then, there has been intense lobbying, with legislators from both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah camps making repeated trips to Delhi and Bengaluru to press their claims.While party brass say merit, governance, and social representation will determine selection, the exercise has evolved into a complex political balancing act. The high command must reconcile regional aspirations and caste equations —ensuring representation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, minorities, and women — while maintaining a delicate equilibrium between the two internal power blocs.The timing is equally significant. With local body polls expected soon and drought looming, Congress wants the expanded cabinet in place quickly. This will allow ministers to take charge of their districts, strengthen party organisation, and build momentum ahead of polls.Long-term strategy also drives this reshuffle. The high command expects to use this exercise to prepare for the 2028 assembly elections while simultaneously strengthening organisational structure ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.One of the biggest talking points is the possible induction of Hariprasad. Sources indicate Siddaramaiah has strongly backed his inclusion, arguing he should continue as state Congress chief while serving in the cabinet. This would mirror the previous arrangement where Shivakumar handled both organisational and executive responsibilities.However, others dismiss this possibility, stating Rahul is clear on the ‘one man, one post’ formula. “Shivakumar was already the party president when he became deputy CM,” a senior party functionary noted, highlighting the difference in context.The expansion is expected to provide opportunities for younger faces, reflecting Rahul’s emphasis on generational change. However, with the number of aspirants far exceeding the 20 available vacancies, the final selection is bound to leave several MLAs disappointed.Among minority aspirants, the names of Bengaluru MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, Kalaburagi MLA Kaneez Fatima, Mysuru MLA Tanveer Sait, and Congress MLC Saleem Ahmed are under consideration. In the Scheduled Tribe category, discussions centre on replacing B Nagendra with either Annapurna, wife of MP Tukaram, or Chitradurga leader Raghumurthy. They are part of a massive pool of nearly 50 aspirants competing for a spot. Senior legislators in contention include Basavaraj Rayareddy, Ajay Singh, Raghavendra Hitnal, Gopalakrishna Belur, Gubbi Vasu, Nanjegowda, Y S Narayanaswamy, C Puttarangashetty, and A B Ramesha Bandisiddegowda. Apart from veterans, a few first-time MLAs are also being discussed within party circles as potential surprise inductees.
