Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively on 20 May along with eight ministers. (File Image: PTI)
According to Congress sources, the party high command approved the first list of eight ministers against the earlier plan of inducting a large number of MLAs into the cabinet.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar arrived in the national capital on Wednesday as he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are likely to meet the top Congress leadership to discuss cabinet expansion in the state. Sources said Siddaramaiah is expected to reach here late at night.
After reaching here, Shivakumar told reporters that it was a “normal routine visit” and he would meet senior party leaders to discuss state issues. “We have to complete our cabinet (expansion) as soon as possible. It is in process. My chief minister is also coming.” He said he would meet the top leadership, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Rejecting rumors of a rift within the party, Shivakumar said, “As party president (Karnataka), I am telling you there is nothing, no internal issue.”
When asked about Congress MLA D Sudhakar’s supporters staging a sit-in outside Siddaramaiah’s house, Shivakumar said, “(It) is quite natural. All workers (of the party) want to become ministers.”
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively on 20 May along with eight ministers.
Ministers have not yet been allocated portfolios. According to Congress sources, the party high command approved the first list of eight ministers against the earlier plan of inducting a large number of MLAs into the cabinet.
This was done because there were reportedly differences between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over some names during the discussions held in Delhi last week ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. Karnataka can have a maximum of 34 ministers, and the Congress will find it difficult to accommodate all the candidates.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,