Karnataka Congress Faces Dissent Over Cabinet Expansion

Dissent has been simmering within the Karnataka Congress since Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expanded his Cabinet on Monday, ending weeks of uncertainty over the exercise. Sensing things were spiralling out of control, the party high command dispatched AICC general secretary in-charge Randeep Surjewala to Bengaluru on Wednesday. Accompanied by Shivakumar, Surjewala first visited the residence of senior MLA and former minister M Krishnappa. His son Priyakrishna is also an MLA, and their supporters had been holding demonstrations since the Cabinet expansion took place. Following a meeting that lasted more than an hour, Surjewala said both the MLAs had “genuine concerns which we deliberated in an open and frank fashion”. The disappointment expressed by other legislators over not being included in the Cabinet was also genuine, he said, adding, “Wherever there are concerns, we will continue to address them.” According to sources, four-time MLA Krishnappa is learnt to have stuck to his demand for a ministerial berth. However, with only one Cabinet berth vacant, and the government yet to induct a woman minister, the party seems to be caught in a bind, leading to speculation that another reshuffle could be on the cards. “There are chances that one of the ministers sworn in earlier could be requested to make way for Krishnappa. It is not yet finalised,” a source said. There are also rumours that Krishnappa could switch to the JD(S) if his demands are not met. He is related to JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s family through marriage. Congress leaders are wary that the exit of Krishnappa and his son Priyakrishna could hurt the party’s prospects in the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections. The delay in allocating portfolios to the ministers sworn in on August 3 has also been attributed to the discontent. After Krishnappa, Surjewala visited the residence of another senior MLA, H K Patil, who had served as a minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet. Following the meeting, Patil said the party had assured everyone would be given an opportunity in the coming days, indicating that he would no longer press for a Cabinet berth. The Cabinet expansion came after multiple rounds of consultations with the party high command in Delhi, with Shivakumar and other senior state leaders making repeated trips to the national capital before the final list of ministers was cleared. However, the announcement left several senior legislators disappointed, triggering public expressions of resentment and protests by their supporters. Prominent among the legislators who have made their unhappiness known over missing out on a ministerial berth include former ministers Dinesh Gundu Rao, Dr H C Mahadevappa, T B Jayachandra and S R Srinivas, along with MLAs N Subba Reddy, Priyakrishna, Raghavendra Hitnal, B R Patil and others. On Wednesday, supporters of Subba Reddy observed a bandh in Chikkaballapur district to protest against the Bagepalli MLA being left out of the Cabinet. Senior legislator B R Patil from Aland in Kalaburagi district resigned as vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission, while Jayachandra remained unhappy over being appointed pro-tem Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Subba Reddy told reporters he was saddened that the party had not reciprocated the loyalty he had shown over the years. “I have no hope for a Cabinet berth now… I don’t know why my name was removed at the last minute,” he said. Srinivas, the MLA from Gubbi in Tumakuru district, recalled his days in the JD(S), saying he had been made a minister by Union minister and former CM H D Kumaraswamy. “I cannot forget Kumaraswamy ever… He called me and made me minister,” Srinivas said, expressing disappointment over being left out. Amid the move to replace him, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti met Shivakumar on Wednesday. “Horatti and Shivakumar met at the latter’s residence on Wednesday night and discussed the current political developments around the Council,” the CM’s office said on Thursday, adding some ministers, MLCs and MLAs were present. The Congress high command had picked Saleem Ahmed as the Council chairman and Umashree as the deputy chairperson. Adding to the Congress’s troubles was an audio clip released by the BJP. It featured a purported conversation between MLA and former minister R B Thimmapur and Bagalkot district Congress president Nanjayyamath. In the clip, Thimmapur is purportedly heard saying that they would not accept Vijayanand Kashappanavar – who was recently inducted into the Cabinet – as district-in-charge minister and many in the Cabinet were made ministers in exchange of money. The Congress has dismissed the clip as doctored. Meanwhile, two MLAs who had rebelled early — Yashvanthrayagouda Patil and Belur Gopalkrishna — signalled an end to hostilities. Patil, who had resigned as MLA, withdrew his decision following outreach by Shivakumar. Gopalkrishna too announced that he would not pursue his decision to resign from the Assembly. That former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also unhappy was acknowledged by Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi. Responding to media queries on Siddaramaiah skipping the swearing-in ceremony, Jarkiholi said, “Maybe he was unhappy. But he is with us. He is trying to address this with party leaders and it will be sorted out.” According to sources, Siddaramaiah was unhappy about two MLCs from the Kuruba community being made ministers while MLAs missed out. Siddaramaiah hails from the community, and his son Yathindra is a minister in the Shivakumar Cabinet. The oath-taking itself was not bereft of controversy. Though MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda’s name figured in the list of ministers released by the Congress leadership, she was asked not to take oath at the last minute.