Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday hinted at a possible cabinet reshuffle, saying it could take place in the state after the Bihar polls. Responding to a question on the matter, Siddaramaiah said, as quoted by PTI, “Let’s see, after the election is over.”The Congress government is approaching the halfway mark of its five-year term in November. Siddaramaiah had held a dinner meeting with his ministerial colleagues on Monday, and party sources indicated that plans for a cabinet reshuffle are under consideration.Speculation has been circulating within Karnataka’s political circles, particularly within the ruling Congress, about a possible change in the chief minister later this year. This is believed to be part of a discreet power-sharing agreement reached when the Congress government assumed office in 2023.According to party sources, any reshuffle at this stage would be seen as a message that Siddaramaiah remains firmly at the helm. It could also be viewed as a setback for deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is believed to be waiting to lay claim to the chief minister’s chair. Shivakumar, however, downplayed the speculation on Saturday, calling it a “rumour” in the media.There has also been growing demand from a section of Congress MLAs to be inducted into the cabinet. Karnataka currently has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister. Two positions remain vacant following the resignation of Minister B Nagendra over allegations of embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation and the recent sacking of K N Rajanna.