Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has traveled to New Delhi to address two contentious issues within the Congress party: dissatisfaction over cabinet portfolios and the filling of 20 vacant ministerial positions.
Shivakumar met with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and K.C. Venugopal, and discussed easing discontent over portfolio assignments and preparing for a cabinet expansion expected after the Legislative Council elections conclude on June 18.
Several ministers have privately expressed unhappiness over their department assignments, with Krishna Byre Gowda seeking a revision of his portfolio and arguing that authority over Bengaluru's key civic institutions should be placed under his department.
Byre Gowda has maintained that responsibility for Bengaluru's infrastructure and urban development challenges cannot be separated from control over the agencies that oversee planning approvals, land development, and metropolitan expansion.
Party leaders involved in the consultations said Byre Gowda had conveyed the same position to Shivakumar, Surjewala, and other senior Congress figures, including Rahul Gandhi.
Minister MB Patil downplayed the rift, saying that there is no issue within the party and that matters will be resolved by the party.
Pressure is building within the ruling party over cabinet expansion, with senior legislators, former ministers, and first-time MLAs seeking inclusion in the ministry.
Discussions with the high command have included the possibility of filling all 20 remaining ministerial vacancies in a single exercise, with considerations such as regional representation, caste balance, and seniority expected to influence the final composition.
