Congress MLAs camp in Delhi; hold parleys aggressively trying to get ministerial berths

Caption: Acting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seen having breakfast with former Ministers and MLAs, who are lobbying for Cabinet berths, at a restaurant in Delhi this morning.

Bengaluru, June 2 (DM)- With D.K. Shivakumar set to take oath as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka at Lok Bhavan (earlier Raj Bhavan) in Bengaluru at 4.05 pm tomorrow (June 3), Congress MLAs aspiring for ministerial berths and key portfolios have intensified their lobbying efforts in New Delhi by meeting senior leaders of the Party High Command.

As a large number of Congress legislators are camping in the National capital, the focus of Karnataka Congress politics has effectively shifted to Delhi.

Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who left for New Delhi yesterday on a special flight from Bengaluru, have remained there, holding discussions with the party leadership on the composition of the new Cabinet. Both leaders are expected to return to Bengaluru later this evening or tomorrow morning.

Several senior Congress MLAs and former Ministers who were part of the Siddaramaiah Cabinet have been in Delhi for the past few days, actively lobbying for ministerial positions in the n ew Government.

At the same time, some senior legislators and multi-term MLAs are pressing for the creation of at least three Deputy Chief Minister posts to ensure caste representation and regional balance.

However, it remains unclear whether Shivakumar alone will take oath as Chief Minister tomorrow or whether some Ministers will also be sworn in alongside him. The structure and composition of the new Cabinet had not been finalised by the party high command as this newspaper went to press.

Meanwhile, former MP D.K. Suresh, brother of CM-designate Shivakumar, visited Lok Bhavan this morning and reviewed the preparations for swearing-in ceremony. He was accompanied by several Congress leaders.