Bengaluru: A day after being chosen to lead the Congress Legislature Party and invited to form the government, designated Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has begun consultations on cabinet formation amid intense lobbying from party leaders seeking ministerial berths.
With Shivakumar set to take the oath as Karnataka’s next Chief Minister, security has been significantly tightened at his residence in Sadashivanagar. Police personnel have been deployed in large numbers, and access for party workers and members of the public has been restricted.
His residence has quickly emerged as the new political nerve centre of the state, with a steady stream of senior Congress leaders, former ministers and legislators arriving to congratulate Shivakumar and press their claims for positions in the new government.
Among those who visited the designated CM were former ministers MB Patil, Santosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, Madhu Bangarappa, KH Muniyappa and TB Jayachandra. MLAs including Puttarangashetty, Ashok Pattan, KY Nanjegowda and Ganesh Hukkeri also met Shivakumar during the day.
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As pressure mounts from aspirants seeking cabinet positions, Shivakumar is expected to travel to New Delhi on Monday to hold discussions with the Congress high command regarding the swearing-in ceremony and the composition of his first cabinet. Sources said the leadership will deliberate on the number of ministers to be inducted in the first phase and the balance to be maintained across regions, communities and factions within the party.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is also scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Monday morning. Political observers believe he may hold discussions with senior Congress leaders regarding representation for his supporters in the new cabinet.
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has indicated that discussions on deputy chief minister posts and ministerial appointments are yet to be finalised and would be taken up by the party leadership in the coming days.
Responding to questions on cabinet formation, Shivakumar maintained that the final decision rests with the party high command.
“Who becomes a minister will be decided by the high command. As of now, I have not received any final information regarding the cabinet,” Shivakumar said.
The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for June 3, with the Congress leadership expected to finalise the first list of ministers before the event.
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