Parameshwara plays down meeting of senior ministers amid CM change, cabinet rejig buzz

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday played down the closed-door meeting of senior ministers including him, amid speculations about cabinet reshuffle and chief minister change, stating that it was a "casual and a non-political" meeting.

He also termed the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's banquet for his Cabinet colleagues scheduled for October 13, as a "casual" meeting over meals, and downplayed speculations of CM change.

A closed-door meeting between Home Minister G Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi had created a buzz on Thursday.

"There is nothing. I don't know how you see it. We have met normally, this was not the first time. Several times we friends -- Jarkiholi (Satish Jarkiholi), Mahadevappa and I -- meet to discuss several issues. They are not political meetings," Parameshwara said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, there was a cabinet meeting yesterday and some subjects were sensitive, so we discussed over breakfast.

"It was a casual meeting. There is nothing in it...We have held several such meetings. This is not the first time. Earlier we have had meetings at Satish Jarkiholi's house, Mahadevappa's house. This is not new," he added.

There are also reports that CM Siddaramaiah held a meeting with these senior ministers on Thursday night.

Speculations are rife about the change of guard and cabinet reshuffle in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as "November revolution".

Responding to a question on this, Parameshwara said, "who said there will be a November revolution? I don't know..." To a question on the chief minister's banquet, he asked, whether the CM had never called a dinner meeting? "Similarly he has called. There is no agenda other than food.... It is a casual meeting over meals."

Asked about cabinet reshuffle, the minister said, those things should be asked to the chief minister.

To a question whether the Congress high command has evaluated the performance of ministers, he said, he is not aware of any such things.

When pointed out that the high command had taken a report on ministers earlier, he said, "such things keep happening constantly, things need not be attached to it."

According to sources, any move by the chief minister to effect cabinet reshuffle, as the government is about to complete two and-a-half years in office, will be seen as a message that he is at the helm and will continue to do so.

Amid talks about CM change, Siddaramaiah has constantly reiterated that he will complete full five years term.

There has been speculation within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the chief minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two and-a-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.