The DK Shivakumar-led Karnataka cabinet will be formed in two batches, with the second expansion scheduled after the Rajya Sabha elections on June 18, according to Congress MLA TB Jayachandra. The party high command will finalise the list of ministers.
Two-Phase Cabinet Expansion
Congress MLA TB Jayachandra has said that the party’s high command has finalised the schedule for ministers taking oath in the DK Shivakumar cabinet, with the first batch of ministers to take oath with Chief Minister Shivakumar, and the second batch of ministers to be inducted after June 18, after the Rajya Sabha elections are completed.
Speaking to ANI, Jayachandra said with Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha elections continuing till June 18, a second phase of cabinet expansion is likely only after that, following which a full government will be in place. “The high command has finalised that DK Shivakumar will take over as the CM. I am told that the first batch of ministers is likely to take the oath with the Chief Minister. With the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha elections continuing until June 18, a second batch of cabinet formation is likely only after that. Then only there will be a full government,” Jayachandra told ANI.
Congress MP Prabha Mallikarjun also expressed confidence over the swearing-in process, saying, “We all are aware that DK Shivakumar is going to take oath as Chief Minister along with a few ministers. So we are all waiting for that moment.”
Ministerial Selection Criteria
On the allocation of ministerial portfolios, Congress MLA Basvaraj Rayareddi said that seniority alone will not be the sole criterion for deciding ministerial positions. “No final decision has yet to be made regarding the allocation of ministerial portfolios. It is still unclear who will be inducted as ministers, and those selected are likely to be informed by this evening or by tomorrow (today). Seniority alone is not the sole criterion for the distribution of ministerial positions. The high command will take its decision after considering seniority along with several other factors. All relevant aspects will be evaluated before a final decision is made,” Rayareddi told reporters.
High Command to Finalise List: DK Shivakumar
Meanwhile, Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Congress high command will release the final list of ministers on Wednesday ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for today at 4 pm at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru.
Addressing a press conference near his Sadashivanagar residence, Shivakumar dismissed reports circulating in the media regarding ministerial selections. “The names appearing in the media regarding the selection of ministers are not official. The high command leaders will release the list of ministers tomorrow at 10 am or noon,” he said.
He further said that the final decision rests with the party leadership in Delhi. “The high command leaders discussed the selection of ministers, and we have expressed our opinion. The high command leaders will take the final decision. After the Delhi leaders send us the list, we will send it to Raj Bhavan,” he added.
Shivakumar also said that the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Congress Bhavan, earlier scheduled, has been postponed. He added that post-swearing-in engagements will include meetings with party functionaries and a cabinet meeting.
High-Level Meetings and Leadership Changes
Earlier on Tuesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a key meeting with Shivakumar and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Delhi to finalise the composition of the new Karnataka cabinet, including ministerial berths, Rajya Sabha nominations, and organisational restructuring.
The meeting came after Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Chief Minister, formally paving the way for the leadership transition in the state.
Meanwhile, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) appointed Siddaramaiah as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) with immediate effect on Tuesday. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)