The Congress high command held a pivotal meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday with Karnataka Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar and caretaker Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to finalise the composition of the new state Cabinet. The discussions took place ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Wednesday.
Key Leaders in Attendance
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi chaired the meeting, which focused on finalising the Cabinet lineup and nominations for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, as reported by ANI. Senior leaders from Karnataka, including Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, also participated in the deliberations held at Kharge's residence at 10 Rajaji Marg.
Leadership Transition
The meeting comes at a decisive stage as the party works to finalise the structure of the new Karnataka government, including ministerial berths and organisational responsibilities within the state unit. The discussions follow Siddaramaiah's resignation as chief minister, which formally set in motion the leadership transition and cleared the way for DK Shivakumar to take charge of the state government.
Cabinet Composition
The meeting comes after the Congress high command held late-night discussions in New Delhi on Sunday to finalise the composition of the new Karnataka Cabinet. The Cabinet list is nearly ready, a senior party functionary earlier told TOI on Sunday. "While 10 names have been finalised, another 10 are being discussed for oath-taking in the first round. The final list may be out Wednesday," he added.
The issue of deputy chief minister posts has emerged as a key point of discussion within the party. Siddaramaiah is said to be pitching names such as G Parameshwara, B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, K J George, and M B Patil for inclusion in the Cabinet and possible DCM roles. However, Shivakumar is reportedly opposed to multiple deputy chief minister posts, arguing that it could create parallel power centres and lead to political complications. The high command is also considering the inclusion of Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra in the new Cabinet.
Consultations and Oath Ceremony
Senior Congress leaders from Karnataka have been camping in Delhi for multiple rounds of consultations with the party leadership. Earlier meetings included Siddaramaiah's interaction with leaders at Delhi hotels and breakfast discussions at 'Saravana Bhavan', where several MLAs, including Satish Jarkiholi and MC Sudhakar, were present. Shivakumar is scheduled to take oath as Karnataka chief minister at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan, Bengaluru at 4 pm on Wednesday.
