Karnataka cabinet expansion: One-on-one meetings held with hopes of averting future discontent

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is seen having breakfast with Congress legislators NH Konaraddi, TB Jayachandra, Ashok Pattan, K. Ponnanna, Rizwan Arshad, Vijayanand Kashappanavar, CS Nadagouda and Rahim Khan at the Karnataka Bhavan Annexe in New Delhi on Friday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Ahead of the proposed Karnataka cabinet expansion, ministerial nominees who have reached Delhi as the crow flies have learned that they have been asked to remain in the fold, though they may not make it eventually when the names are announced.

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s meeting with Congress legislators in Delhi. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

The party’s central leadership is likely to finalize the list in the coming days. Sources said more than 25 legislators, who have been camping in Delhi for the past two days, were given an audience by Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, at the All India Congress Committee office on Akbar Road in Delhi.

During the discussion, which was also attended by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the legislators were apprised of the difficult choices to be made in accommodating applicants within the available beds, looking at the representation of different castes, districts and regions.

“This was probably done to avoid any kind of disagreement in the future. Most of the legislators were given a personal audience and told that the party knows their case well,” said a source aware of the development.

This comes in the context of new and fresh faces being considered for inclusion in the cabinet. While 14 cabinet beds, including the chief minister’s bed, have been filled, 20 are yet to be filled.

A former minister and cabinet hopeful, who was in Delhi on Friday, said it was unlikely that all the vacant beds would be filled at once. “Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also given his preference list which is under consideration,” he said.

On Friday, he was joined at a breakfast in Delhi by several cabinet nominees and close aides of Mr. Siddaramaiah.

The former chief minister along with Mr Shivakumar and KPCC president BK Hariprasad met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whose absence on Thursday caused unfinished cabinet expansion discussions, is expected to return to Delhi on Saturday afternoon. He returned to his home in Bengaluru due to a family emergency.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shivakumar told reporters in Delhi that discussions were on with the Congress high command to expand the state cabinet. The Chief Minister said he would meet Mr. Kharg on Saturday and proceed with the necessary preparations after receiving instructions from the party leadership.

Most of the legislators who were camping in Delhi learned that she had left on Friday night.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 22:02 IST