BENGALURU: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is set to leave for New Delhi on Saturday to meet the Congress high command amid lobbying among senior party leaders over the allocation of Cabinet portfolios.
The Chief Minister's Delhi visit comes days before the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka Legislature, scheduled to begin on August 13.
With several senior leaders lobbying for key portfolios, Shivakumar is expected to seek the high command's intervention to resolve the differences and finalise the allocation of departments.
On Friday late night, Shivakumar met former Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah at the latter's residence in Bengaluru. The two leaders held a closed-door meeting, during which they are understood to have discussed ways to pacify disgruntled senior leaders before the Assembly session.
Sources said Shivakumar is hopeful that intervention by the Congress high command will help settle the differences and enable the government to face the Opposition during the Monsoon Session with a united front.
The distribution of portfolios has reportedly triggered discontent among legislators, particularly over the representation of various social groups. The Lingayat community has secured seven Cabinet berths, which has led to discussions within the party over the balance among different communities.
Several key portfolios, including Social Welfare, Labour, Higher Education and Excise, are reportedly in demand, with legislators lobbying for what are considered plum departments.
Meanwhile, pressure on the Chief Minister to pacify senior leaders intensified after seven-time MLA T.B. Jayachandra expressed his reservations over the developments. Shivakumar visited Jayachandra's residence after meeting Siddaramaiah.
Jayachandra had reportedly threatened to sit separately from the ruling party members and had expressed his displeasure over the manner in which the Cabinet portfolios were being handled. Shivakumar, who shares a long-standing association with Jayachandra, visited him to seek his guidance and resolve the issue.
Speaking after the meeting, Shivakumar said Jayachandra is the pro tem Speaker and that, as Chief Minister, he could visit his office or residence. He also referred to their personal friendship and said he had come to seek Jayachandra's guidance on the future course of action.
Jayachandra, however, said the issue had now been resolved and that he would resume his duties as Speaker.
"As of today, I am the Speaker. All the problems have been resolved and I will go to the office and start my work. It is a constitutional obligation. If I do not discharge my duties, I will be called a coward," Jayachandra said.
He added that pressure from people in his constituency had compelled him to express his views on certain issues, but clarified that he had not taken any decision on the matter.
Meanwhile, former minister and senior Dalit leader H.C. Mahadevappa continues to remain dissatisfied over the cabinet portfolio issue. Mahadevappa, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, had travelled to Delhi and met Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
According to party insiders, Surjewala gave Mahadevappa a patient hearing and assured him that the party would stand by him. The Congress leadership has reportedly tasked Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy with pacifying Mahadevappa and addressing his concerns.
With several senior leaders continuing to seek key portfolios, Shivakumar's meeting with the high command in Delhi is expected to be crucial in settling the issue before the Monsoon Session. The Chief Minister is keen to resolve the internal differences and ensure that the Congress legislature party presents a united front when the Opposition mounts attacks on the government during the session.
