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A small cabinet of around 10-13 ministers is likely to take oath alongside Shivakumar, with Congress expected to strike a balance between experienced leaders and younger faces.
Shivakumar, who was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30, spent much of Tuesday in consultations with Siddaramaiah and the party high command over the final shape of the cabinet. (Credits: PTI file)
Karnataka chief minister-designate D K Shivakumar will be sworn in on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a new Congress government in the state after months of intense political speculation.
A small cabinet of around 10-13 ministers is likely to take oath alongside Shivakumar, with the Congress leadership expected to strike a balance between experienced leaders and younger faces. Among those tipped for ministerial berths are Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge.
Other frontrunners include G Parameshwara, K J George, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byregowda, Ramalinga Reddy, U T Khader, Eshwar Khandre and Dinesh Gundu Rao. Sources said at least one woman minister is also likely to be inducted.
Shivakumar, who was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30, spent much of Tuesday in consultations with Siddaramaiah and the party high command over the final shape of the cabinet.
While earlier reports suggested the possibility of appointing multiple deputy chief ministers, sources said Shivakumar is not keen on having a deputy CM for now, citing concerns over creating another power centre within the government.
With the Karnataka cabinet capped at 34 members, including the chief minister, Shivakumar faces the challenge of accommodating competing regional, caste and political interests while rewarding loyalists and maintaining a balance between various factions within the party.
Rahul Gandhi, Kharge Among Leaders Attending Ceremony
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru. Chief ministers from Congress-ruled states, including Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, are also likely to be present, along with Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
Several senior opposition leaders are also expected to attend the event.
Siddaramaiah’s Future Role
Even as the focus remains on cabinet formation, discussions continue within the Congress over Siddaramaiah’s future role.
Sources said the party leadership has again urged the former chief minister to consider a Rajya Sabha berth, though he has expressed a preference for remaining active in Karnataka politics.
Siddaramaiah was recently appointed to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body. The leadership is also considering a coordination committee headed by him to ensure smoother coordination between the government and the party organisation.
Race For KPCC Chief Post
The Congress is also yet to decide who will succeed Shivakumar as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.
Senior MLA and former minister Satish Jarkiholi is considered a leading contender, though sources said he is also seeking a cabinet berth, complicating the final calculations.
About the Author
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
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