A group of senior Karnataka Congress MLAs has travelled to Delhi to meet the party high command, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Their primary demand is a cabinet reshuffle, which they claim was promised after 2.5 years of the govt.
Karnataka Congress MLAs Lobby High Command in Delhi
A delegation of Congress MLAs travelled to the national capital to meet the party's high command to push for ministerial representation and to raise long-pending demands regarding a cabinet reshuffle. Among those travelling are Ashok Pattan, Bangarapete MLA S.N. Narayanaswamy, Tiptur MLA K. Shadakshari, AR Krishnamurthy, Puttaranga Shetty, Belur Gopal Krishna and others.
MLAs Insist on Reshuffle, Deny Leadership Question
While speaking on this matter, senior MLA T.B. Jayachandra on Sunday said the delegation's outreach to the party high command is a "routine matter" aimed at discussing organisational issues and a possible cabinet reshuffle, asserting that there is no leadership question within the state unit. The delegation is also expected to meet senior party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and other AICC leaders during their stay in the national capital.
Karnataka Congress MLA T.B. Jayachandra said that his visit to Delhi is a routine political engagement aimed at meeting the party high command and discussing organisational matters. While speaking to ANI, he said, "It is a routine matter for me. I'm a state representative in Delhi... There are many MLAs also coming, and we wanted to meet the high command and convince for the reshuffle. That is the demand of the many senior MLAs... This government has provided an opportunity for three years; only two years left. That is why we all wanted to go and meet the High Command and to make a request before him..."
"The leadership issue is not at all there before us. It is between the four walls of the CM, Deputy CM, the AICC President and Rahul Gandhi," he assured.
Along the same lines, Karnataka Congress MLA S.N. Narayanaswamy said the delegation is meeting top AICC leaders to place their demand for a cabinet reshuffle. "We are going to meet Venugopal, Surjewala, Mallikarjun Kharge, and all Congress leaders. Our demands are a Cabinet reshuffle," he told ANI, adding that leadership change is not on the agenda either and is the prerogative of the high command.
MLA K. Shadakshari too said that the delegation will attempt to meet the party leadership during their visit. "We are going to meet everyone from AICC. If we get an appointment, we will meet Rahul Gandhi," he told ANI.
On arrival in Delhi, MLA AR Krishnamurthy said senior and multiple-term MLAs have collectively raised the demand for a reshuffle. "The members who won for the third, fourth, or fifth term want a cabinet reshuffle. We brought this to the notice of the Chief Minister too," he said, adding that discussions will be held with the central leadership in Delhi. He further clarified that there is no demand for a leadership change, stating that it is entirely for the high command to decide.
On the same note, Karnataka Congress MLA Ashok Pattan said the delegation will meet senior party leaders and push for a cabinet reshuffle, claiming it is the main agenda of the visit. "We will try to meet Rahul Gandhi. We will meet Mallikarjun Kharge, Surjewala, and Venugopal. We have just one condition. Cabinet reshuffle," he told ANI. He added that the demand is linked to an earlier assurance within the party. "Surjewala told us that the Cabinet will be reshuffled after 2.5 years. It has already been three years. Our demand is to make us Ministers for at least the remaining two years," he added, while clarifying that leadership change is not part of the discussion.
Dy CM Hints at Reshuffle Amid Internal Friction
Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday hinted at a cabinet reshuffle in the state and said that there was "nothing wrong" with Congress leaders wanting ministerial or Chief Ministerial positions. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, "When our Chief Minister has said that there is going to be a reshuffle, naturally, everyone would like to become a minister or CM. They may try. There is nothing wrong with it."
The cabinet reshuffle comes amid the Congress government grappling with internal friction, particularly with supporters of Shivakumar demanding that he be appointed as the Chief Minister for the remaining little over 2 years of the government, citing the 2023 "power-sharing agreement". This leadership tussle has prompted repeated meetings between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to prevent escalation, and both leaders have time and again said that the party high command will make a decision on the issue. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)