Karnataka Congress leaders meet CM over cabinet reshuffle
Bengaluru: Five Congress leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, met Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) for reshuffling the cabinet to quell dissidence in the party and ensure continuation of their year-old coalition government, a party official said on Wednesday.
“Our party leaders met Kumaraswamy at the state-run Kumarakrupa guest house in the city to discuss a cabinet reshuffle and ensure the continuation of the government,” Congress spokesman Ravi Gowda told IANS here.
Besides Parameshwara, the party’s state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal, allies coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah, state Home Minister M.B. Patil and state Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar participated in the meeting.
“The outcome of the meeting will be discussed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting later in the day here to ensure all the legislators remain united to run the coalition government smoothly in the face of electoral setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections,” said Gowda.
The Congress and the JD-S were routed by the BJP in the 28 parliamentary constituencies in the southern state. The BJP won 25 as against one each by the two parties.
Independent Sumalatha Ambareesh, backed by the BJP, wrested the Mandya seat from the JD-S.
In the 34-member Ministry, the Congress has one vacant cabinet post from its quota of 22 berths and the JD-S two out of its quota of 12.
“Parleys are on to fill the three vacant cabinet posts and reshuffle the Ministry to induct a couple of MLAs keen on joining the government in place of their incumbents,” added Gowda.