Bengaluru, April 7 Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Tuesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command will decide on the cabinet reshuffle, amid mounting pressure within the ruling party to make a change, aimed at providing opportunities to new faces.
A group of legislators has already decided to go to New Delhi later this month, after the by-elections, to meet and discuss the cabinet reshuffle with the high command.
"I don't know what they will do about the reshuffle. What can I say about it? The chief minister and the high command have to decide. It is left to their discretion. It is not right on our part to speculate about it," Parameshwara said in response to a question raised by reporters.
Stating that the high command would observe everything, he said, "First-timers (MLAs) came and said they want to become ministers; also, two to four time MLAs said they too want to become ministers. They held separate dinner meetings to discuss. They have brought things to the notice of the high command and the leadership will decide on what needs to be done."
"The AICC general secretary in-charge will look into the matter and try to resolve it at his level or report to the leadership. Such things are not new for the Congress. While running governments in several states, such things keep occurring, and the high command will look into it and set things right. They will do it," he added.
A group of senior Congress legislators, who have been MLAs for over three terms, met Siddaramaiah last month, urging him to rejig his cabinet and give them an opportunity to serve as ministers.
The group of about 40 legislators had said that they had planned to go to New Delhi together on April 11 after the by-elections, to meet the Congress high command and discuss including at least 20 of them during the reshuffle.
By-elections for the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies will be held on April 9. The polls were necessitated following the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
Ahead of meeting the CM, the group of aspirants met over dinner and discussed the much-awaited state cabinet rejig. Some first and second time legislators have also recently pressed for a cabinet reshuffle.
The demand for a cabinet reshuffle has come to the fore, amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling party over the CM post.
Parameshwara on Monday asserted that Siddaramaiah will continue as the chief minister for the full five-year term under the "current situation." He, however, maintained that any decision regarding the leadership change rests solely with the Congress high command.
When asked if the high command had indicated anything regarding Siddaramaiah continuing as CM, Parameshwara said on Tuesday, "Why repeatedly ask the same question? What I said yesterday is done. Why do you want me to repeat it?"
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
According to party sources, while Siddaramaiah favors a cabinet reshuffle, Shivakumar wants the party to first decide on the leadership change.
According to several party insiders, if the Congress high command approves the cabinet reshuffle, it would signal that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will complete the full five-year term, which will scuttle the chances of Shivakumar from occupying the coveted post.
Karnataka has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister.
Two cabinet berths are currently vacant, following the resignation of B Nagendra over allegations of embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and the sacking of K N Rajanna on the instructions of the party high command.