Talks on the expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet have continued as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar have been attempting to push the names of their loyalists for ministerial posts in meetings in New Delhi.
Congress general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal and Karnataka in-charge general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala held a series of meetings at the party’s “war room” in New Delhi on Thursday. They also held a meeting with AICC chief M. Mallikarjun Kharge.
Sources said a final list of Ministers to be included in the Congress government led by Mr. Siddaramaiah and their portfolios is likely to be delayed by a day as leaders have been unable to arrive at a consensus on the list of MLAs to be inducted into the ministry.
Sought after portfolios
Sources say that Bengaluru Development, Public Works Department, Water Resources, Home Ministry and Agriculture are some of the most sought after portfolios, given their importance and allocation. The Finance is also a key one as it would decide allocation of money to various sectors.
Earlier in the day, loyalists of Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar met the two leaders at Karnataka Bhavan and residence of D.K. Suresh, MP, respectively.
The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister reached Delhi on Wednesday and held the first round of discussion with Mr. Venugopal.
Woman representation
According to sources, there would be a woman MLA included in the Cabinet and Laxmi Hebbalkar representing Belagavi Rural has high chances of making it to the Cabinet. Currently, there is no representation of women in the Cabinet.
Similarly, a member of the Legislative Council is likely to be inducted into the Cabinet and B.K. Hariprasad is likely to enter the ministry owing to his seniority. Since U.T. Khader was elected as the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Hariprasad’s name was doing rounds as he hails from the coastal region and provides representation to the Idiga community. MLC Prakash K. Rathod too has been lobbying hard and is seen with Mr. Siddaramaiah’s camp.
More than 50 MLAs and MLCs are camping in Delhi and lobbying hard with Central leaders of the party.
Challenges in allocation
Keeping an eye on next year’s Lok Sabha polls, sources said the other challenging task for both leaders is to ensure that all sections of the communities are adequately represented in the Cabinet. There are demands from dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities and OBCs that there is a need to provide higher representation for their MLAs since they have played a major role in voting the Congress to power.
As senior leaders of major communities have been already inducted into the ministry, the party is likely to give preference to young MLAs while preparing the list of ministries, sources said.
Legislators who did not show interest during the party rallies during the BJP regime are also unlikely to get ministerial berths, sources said.
High command’s preference
Besides the lists of Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar, the party high command has its own list of MLAs to be inducted into the Ministry and this has complicated the issue further, sources maintained.
The Karnataka Cabinet can have 34 members, including the Chief Minister.
