NEW DELHI: Even as a major reshuffle in the Karnataka cabinet appears imminent, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hinted at changes, while Congress sources indicate that the party is also considering appointing a new state unit president with several senior leaders already in the race.
Siddaramaiah recently suggested that a cabinet rejig could take place in the last week of November, coinciding with the Congress government completing two and a half years in office. According to party insiders, the proposed shake-up is likely to follow the Kamaraj model of the 1960s, where senior ministers were rotated to strengthen the organisation. With this, several leaders are reportedly lobbying both for cabinet berths and for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief’s post, currently held by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
Shivakumar, often described as the party’s troubleshooter, has been credited with steering the Congress to victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. He has held the post of KPCC president since 2021. A senior Congress source said that Minister Krishna Byre Gowda is among the frontrunners for the Karnataka Congress chief position. His recent meeting with Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has fuelled speculation that he is exploring the role.
The Congress leadership is also said to be considering a “two Deputy Chief Minister” formula to improve governance and accelerate the delivery of poll promises. As many as a dozen ministers could be dropped during the upcoming reshuffle, with the party looking to promote younger faces and strengthen its outreach at the grassroots level.
“This will help the party connect directly with voters, address their grievances more effectively, and make the new ministers more accountable,” a senior leader said.
Meanwhile, several Karnataka leaders have been visiting New Delhi to present their cases before Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, lobbying for roles in the cabinet or the party organisation. However, Kharge has reportedly instructed both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to manage state affairs independently and arrive at a consensus on internal matters, the source added.
Party insiders further revealed that the high command had initially urged Siddaramaiah to implement the reshuffle in June, but the Chief Minister preferred to wait until the halfway mark of his government’s term. In the coming days, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are expected to visit the national capital, along with several ministers including the state Home Minister, to meet central party leaders and finalise the details of the impending changes.
