{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Dozens of Karnataka Congress Leaders Camp in Delhi as Cabinet Reshuffle Decision Nears",
  "summary": "With Karnataka's cabinet expansion hanging in the balance, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, B.K. Hariprasad and dozens of aspiring MLAs have gathered in Delhi. More than 40 senior Congress leaders are competing for just 20 vacant minister posts.",
  "content": "Delhi has effectively become the new nerve centre of Karnataka politics this week. Speculation over an expansion of the state's Congress cabinet has reached fever pitch, and in the middle of it, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B.K. Hariprasad have all landed in the capital. Their simultaneous presence in Delhi has only sharpened the political buzz inside the party, with everyone asking the same question: who finally gets a berth in the cabinet.\n\nDozens of Congress MLAs have also camped out in Delhi, each hoping his turn has finally arrived and that he will be inducted into the Karnataka cabinet. The sheer number of leaders converging on the capital is itself being read as a sign that the party's central leadership could announce a major decision very soon.\n\n20 Empty Chairs, More Than 40 Contenders\nRight now, apart from the Chief Minister, only 14 ministers are functioning in the Karnataka government, while 20 cabinet posts still remain vacant. More than 40 senior Congress leaders are jostling for those 20 chairs, and that arithmetic alone has triggered an intense tug of war within the party. The central leadership's challenge is to decide who gets a chance and who does not, without letting the process spiral into factionalism or resentment inside the organisation. With so many aspirants in the fray, striking a balance has stopped being simple for the high command.\n\nAshok Pattan: 'Merit, Not Caste, Should Decide'\nAshok Pattan, a three time MLA from Belagavi considered close to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has also reached Delhi. Pattan said Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is in the capital along with Siddaramaiah and B.K. Hariprasad, and that he expects a meeting with the party leadership very soon, if not today then certainly tomorrow. Describing himself as a claimant for a minister's post, Pattan expressed regret that he could not become a minister during Siddaramaiah's earlier term. This time, he has pressed his case for a cabinet berth and said plainly that the decision should not be made on the basis of caste, adding that leaders who have worked for years for the organisation also deserve a chance. According to Pattan, a total of 6 MLAs have come to Delhi to make their case, and they have already met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. They are now waiting for time to meet K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala.\n\nLaxman Savadi: From BJP Deputy CM to Congress Minister Hopeful\nFormer minister and Congress MLA Laxman Savadi has also openly voiced his wish to become a minister. Savadi belongs to the Lingayat community, which already has three leaders in the current cabinet. Despite that, Savadi is hopeful of finding a place in the cabinet again this time. Notably, Savadi had quit the BJP to join Congress just before the assembly elections, a move that dealt the BJP a significant political blow at the time. It is also worth noting that Laxman Savadi had earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister under the BJP government. His eyes are now set on a minister's post in the Congress government.\n\nT.B. Jayachandra: Faith in the High Command, Banking on Experience\nT.B. Jayachandra, a senior Congress leader and a seven time MLA, says the cabinet expansion process has now reached its final stage and a decision is expected very soon. He also pointed out that the assembly session is due to begin shortly, which makes constituting the full cabinet necessary so that government business can run smoothly. Jayachandra acknowledged that he too is among the claimants for a minister's post, though he added that deciding who gets which responsibility rests entirely with the party high command, and that he has complete faith in the party leadership.\n\nAppaji Nadagouda: A Push for Mumbai Karnataka Representation\nAppaji Nadagouda, a six time MLA, has also staked his claim for a cabinet berth. He argues that the Mumbai Karnataka region has not been given adequate representation in the cabinet so far and that this needs to change. According to Nadagouda, leaders who have stayed loyal to the party should get priority, and the contribution of those who have worked for the organisation for years should not be overlooked. He claimed he stood by the party through difficult times and played an important role in helping it win by elections. Nadagouda says the party leadership has assured him that his claim will be seriously considered.\n\nRahim Khan: The Question of Minority Representation from Kalyana Karnataka\nFormer minister Rahim Khan has also put forward his case. He says he is counted among the senior minority leaders of the Kalyana Karnataka region and should therefore get a place in the cabinet. According to Rahim Khan, the region has a sizeable minority population, and 5 members of parliament have been elected from there. He said community leaders are demanding four minister posts for minorities in the cabinet, and that he has already met all the senior leaders of the party on this matter.\n\nWhat Happens Next?\nFor now, all the top leaders of the Karnataka Congress remain camped in Delhi. Those in the race for a minister's post are continuing to meet the party high command to strengthen their individual claims. All eyes are now on the final call from the Congress leadership, with expectations that a clear picture on the cabinet expansion could emerge within the next day or two.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: How the Congress balances caste and regional representation in this cabinet reshuffle will be watched as a template for how the party navigates similar bargains elsewhere.\n• In Karnataka: Once the new ministers take charge, several departments could see new policies, schemes and administrative changes that directly affect everyday governance for residents of the state.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. How many minister posts are currently vacant in Karnataka?\nApart from the Chief Minister, only 14 ministers are currently functioning, while 20 cabinet posts remain vacant.\n\n2. How many leaders are said to be contending for these 20 posts?\nMore than 40 senior Congress leaders are competing for these 20 vacant chairs.\n\n3. Which top leaders have reached Delhi?\nChief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad have all reached Delhi, along with dozens of MLAs who are also camped there.\n\n4. What demand has Ashok Pattan made?\nThree time Belagavi MLA Ashok Pattan has said the decision on ministers should be based on hard work and experience, not caste.\n\n5. Who is Laxman Savadi?\nLaxman Savadi is a former minister and Congress MLA from the Lingayat community who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister under the BJP government and joined Congress before the assembly elections.\n\n6. What demand has come from the Kalyana Karnataka region?\nAccording to former minister Rahim Khan, community leaders from the region are demanding four minister posts for minorities in the cabinet.\n\n7. By when is a decision on the cabinet expansion expected?\nParty leaders say a final decision on the cabinet expansion could come within the next one to two days.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/politics/mntri-pada-ki-daura-men-karnataka-congress-ke-darjanon-neta-delhi-pahunche-jalda-ho-sakata-hai-kaibineta-vistara-ka-phaisala-8121",
  "category": "Politics",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-16",
  "tags": [
    "Karnataka Congress",
    "Cabinet Expansion",
    "D.K. Shivakumar",
    "Siddaramaiah",
    "Karnataka Cabinet",
    "Laxman Savadi"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}