Karnataka Cabinet Expansion This Week? CM D K Shivakumar Signals Final Call

The long wait for Karnataka's cabinet expansion could soon be over, with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announcing on Monday that the exercise will be finalised within this week, raising expectations among aspirants eager to secure a place in the state ministry.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Shivakumar said the cabinet expansion would be among the key issues discussed with the Congress high command during his visit. He is expected to meet senior party leaders on Tuesday, where the final shape of the ministry is likely to be worked out. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B K Hariprasad are also expected to participate in the discussions.

Apart from the cabinet expansion, the Chief Minister said he would hold a meeting with Karnataka Members of Parliament to brief them on the state's pressing concerns ahead of parliamentary discussions. He said issues including the drought situation, Cauvery, Mahadayi and Krishna river disputes, the Mekedatu project, and several pending development projects would be taken up during the meeting.

Shivakumar also said he would meet senior advocates to discuss pending legal matters involving the state government and hold discussions with Union Ministers during his Delhi visit.

On his return to Bengaluru, the Chief Minister plans to convene an all-party meeting, where he intends to brief opposition leaders, former chief ministers and other stakeholders on key state issues requiring a united approach.

The cabinet expansion has generated intense political activity, with several ministerial hopefuls lobbying for inclusion. A round of discussions on the expansion held in Delhi last week remained inconclusive after top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, participated in a protest over police action against students demonstrating against the NEET paper leak.

The Karnataka ministry currently has 20 vacant positions out of its sanctioned strength of 34, including the Chief Minister. Filling these vacancies is expected to be a politically delicate exercise, with the Congress leadership needing to balance regional representation, caste equations and internal party aspirations while avoiding discontent among those who may be left out.