Cabinet expansion: DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, BK Hariprasad in Delhi to meet with high command

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar with his predecessor Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday. | Photo credit: special arrangement

With several ruling Congress MLAs camping in New Delhi to lobby for ministerial berths, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar left for the national capital on Wednesday to discuss the much-awaited cabinet expansion with the party high command.

The Karnataka cabinet currently has 20 vacancies.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accompanied Mr. Shivakumar. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president BK Hariprasad also left for Delhi to attend the consultations.

Sources said the three leaders are expected to meet Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who has returned from an overseas visit, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretaries, including Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewal, to finalize the contours of the expansion. If all goes well, the expansion is likely to happen soon, which would give the new ministers enough time to study their departments and meet the monsoon session of the legislature that would begin in August.

Meanwhile, several legislators aspiring to ministerial berths told reporters that they are ready to take oath even during the ongoing “auspicious” month of Ashada and will perform puja to “avoid inauspicious effects”.

With the next parliamentary elections due in early 2028, many MLAs are eager to secure positions in the government not only to fulfill long-term political ambitions but also to strengthen their voter base ahead of the elections.

Several names from different regions and communities are doing the rounds as likely participants. The Congress is expected to field one or two representatives from the Muslim community. Prominent players include MLC Saleem Ahmed and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad.

MLAs like Laxman Savadi, Ajay Singh, Sharat Bache Gowda, Appaji Nadagouda, AS Ponnanna, KM Shivalinge Gowda and Ashok Pattan are also reportedly being considered for Cabinet berths.

Among the female legislators, the names of former minister Laxmi Hebbalkar and Nayana Motamma are also likely to figure in the discussions.

Published – 16 Jul 2026 07:00 IST