Karnataka politics shifts to Delhi: One camp wants Cabinet changed, another seeks new CM
Congress MLAs camp in Delhi for Cabinet reshuffle, while DK Shivakumar faction demands CM change, intensifying Karnataka political tussle
As the Karnataka Congress government completes two and a half years in office, demands for a Cabinet reshuffle have mounted. Around 30 legislators, eager to secure ministerial positions, are right now camping in Delhi to put pressure on the party high command.
MLAs wait to meet high command
Congress MLAs in Delhi have sought appointments with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala. However, according to sources, they have not yet been granted time for meetings. Legislators are prepared to present their demands as soon as the high command calls them.
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Demand to drop 20 ministers
The MLAs pressing for a reshuffle insist that more than 20 current ministers should be dropped to make way for newcomers. They plan to complain to the leadership about ministers’ inactivity and failure to respond to legislators’ work. They are also citing an earlier assurance by KC Venugopal that a reshuffle would be carried out after two and a half years.
DKA faction’s counter-strategy
While one group is lobbying in Delhi for a Cabinet reshuffle, another faction aligned with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is preparing to travel to Delhi with a different demand: leadership change, that is, a new chief minister. They argue that if MLAs seeking a reshuffle are given an audience, their faction too must be heard.
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Drama shifts to Delhi
The DK Shivakumar faction’s decision to head to Delhi depends on today’s political developments. If the high command meets the MLAs demanding a reshuffle, the KPCC president’s faction will also fly to Delhi. In short, Karnataka Congress politics has now shifted to the national capital, and curiosity surrounds which side the high command will support.
(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.)