Hectic parleys continue inside Congress for new Karnataka cabinet after Siddaramaiah exit

THe us congress called a get together of its legislators in mysore on sat and held battle of marathon meetings in Delhi with Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar to decide the contours of the new cabinet as the southern state prepared for a chief ministerial transition, a day after Siddaramaiah stepped aside after months of speculation.Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, discussing the state cabinet, organisational changes and balancing competing factions within the state unit, people aware of the matter said.Key to these discussions were the future role of Siddaramaiah, who resigned as CM on Thursday but declined an offer to move to the Rajya Sabha, and the number of new deputy CMs under Shivakumar. The party was considering restricting the number of such deputies to two from an earlier formula involving four, said leaders aware of the matter.Photographs released from the meetings showed Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, alongside senior Congress leaders, adding to speculation over his possible induction into the government. Some reports suggested he could be considered for a deputy chief minister position, but leaders involved in the discussions said Yathindra is more likely to enter the cabinet as a minister.“Siddaramaiah wants Yathindra in a politically significant department. The social welfare portfolio is among the options under discussion,” a leader familiar with the talks said.The social welfare department, which oversees programmes relating to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, is regarded within the party as an influential portfolio.The Congress legislature party is expected to formally elect Shivakumar as its leader at a meeting at 4pm on Saturday, after which preparations for the swearing-in ceremony are likely to proceed.The early part of Friday’s meetings, a party leader said, focused on appointing Siddaramaiah as chairman of the state’s guarantee schemes coordination committee, a post with cabinet rank. The committee includes structures at the state, district and assembly or taluk levels to supervise the implementation of welfare programmes across Karnataka.However, leaders aware of the matter said Siddaramaiah sought a wider coordination mechanism linking the Congress organisation and the state government.“The BJP in Karnataka has a state president but also a coordination committee headed by BS Yediyurappa, which functions as an advisory body. Something on similar lines is what is being sought,” a senior leader aware of the discussions said.Leaders aligned with Shivakumar are understood to have resisted the proposal, fearing it could create competing authority centres in Bengaluru after the leadership change.According to party leaders, the Congress leadership has not yet agreed to the proposal.Within the Congress, senior leader and minister KJ George is now expected to emerge as a leading contender for a Rajya Sabha berth, according to leaders familiar with the discussions.The negotiations also widened into discussions on cabinet composition, caste representation and accommodation of leaders from both camps. Ministers and legislators from Karnataka remained in Delhi through the day, with lobbying intensifying over portfolios and organisational appointments.“Every community wants representation and every faction wants visibility in the new government. That balancing exercise is taking most of the time,” a Congress functionary said.Discussions are also continuing over deputy CM positions in the incoming cabinet. Senior Congress leaders MB Patil, Parameswara, Priyank Kharge and Tanveer Sait are among the leading contenders, with the party attempting to balance Lingayat, Dalit and minority representation.A broader list of likely cabinet entrants also began circulating within Congress circles on Friday evening. Leaders whose names are being discussed for inclusion in the new government include Yathindra Siddaramaiah, A. S. Ponnanna, Byrathi Suresh, HC Mahadevappa, Priyank Kharge, M. B. Patil, G. Parameshwara, Krishna Byregowda, Santosh Lad, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Ramalinga Reddy, Rizwan Arshad, UT Khader and Sharath Bachegowda. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepted Siddaramaiah’s resignation on Thursday.