Siddaramaiah indicates cabinet reshuffle may be considered after Bihar polls

Hassan: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday indicated that the cabinet reshuffle may be considered after the Bihar polls.

Chief minister said this while speaking to reporters, amid speculation about a change of guard and cabinet reshuffle in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November.

"Let's see, after the election is over," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question on cabinet reshuffle.

Siddaramaiah had held a dinner meeting with his Ministerial colleagues on Monday. According to party sources, Siddaramaiah and his camp are planning for a cabinet reshuffle.

They said, any cabinet reshuffle while the government crosses the halfway mark of its term will be seen as a message that Siddaramaiah is very much at the helm and viewed as a setback for the Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is believed to be waiting to lay claim to the chief minister's chair.

Shivakumar had on Saturday played down speculations about the cabinet reshuffle in the state, calling it a "rumour" in the media.

There has been speculation within the state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now, about the chief minister change later this year as per a discreet power-sharing agreement believed to have been reached when the Congress government assumed office in 2023.

There has also been a demand for some time now from a section of Congress MLAs to be inducted into the cabinet.

Karnataka has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister.

Two berths in the cabinet are currently vacant following the resignation of Minister B Nagendra over allegations of embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and the recent sacking of K N Rajanna from the cabinet.