Siddaramaiah’s Dinner Sparks Karnataka Cabinet Speculation

By Dr. Kumar Rakesh

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s plan to host a dinner meeting with his council of ministers on October 13 has sparked fresh speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle.

While the Congress officially maintains that no reshuffle will take place until after the Bihar elections in November, party insiders suggest the dinner could act as an informal sounding board before any potential changes. Siddaramaiah’s camp reportedly sees a reshuffle as a way to consolidate his authority, while deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s supporters are pushing for a leadership change at the top—a move the high command wants to avoid for now.

Siddaramaiah has described the dinner as a courtesy meeting to keep ministers updated, and Shivakumar has publicly deferred to the party leadership, stating that decisions will be taken by the high command. However, speculation persists, fueled by remarks from MLAs Iqbal Hussain and HD Ranganath, who suggested Shivakumar could become Chief Minister.

Senior ministers, including PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Home Minister G Parameshwara, have urged the high command to put an end to the speculation. “High command has to say—full stop,” Jarkiholi remarked. Parameshwara added, “Every day we see different statements in the media. The high command knows what needs to be done.”

The debate over leadership and reshuffle has roots in May 2023 when Congress returned to power in Karnataka and negotiated between the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar factions to form the government. As the administration nears its halfway mark, the discussion has resurfaced, though Siddaramaiah has firmly stated, “I will be the Chief Minister for a full five-year term. Whatever the high command decides, we have to go by it.”