CM Siddaramaiah may face pressure for cabinet rejig

BENGALURU: Pressure is likely to mount on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with regard to a reshuffle of the cabinet, with a dozen aspirants staking claim to portfolios, since they feel they deserve it. With Siddaramaiah himself facing a setback amid the ongoing MUDA scam case, and some of his cabinet colleagues too alleged to be involved in scams, the aspirants seem hopeful, sources said.

Siddaramaiah also wants to go for a cabinet rejig after the winter session of the Legislature, slated to be held in Belagavi from December 9, sources said. The strategy is to put a lid on ‘change in guard’ speculation within the party, and also from the Opposition, so as to firmly establish his authority, political analysts said.

With Malavalli MLA PM Narendraswamy and Belagavi Uttar MLA Asif Sait openly expressing their desire to become ministers, Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command seem to be in a fix. Narendraswamy called on AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, and staked his claim, sources revealed. On Friday, senior leader and the state’s special representative in New Delhi, TB Jayachandra, also met Kharge.