Siddaramaiah may reshuffle Cabinet after K'taka bypolls

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing Lokayukta and Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations, is likely to reshuffle his cabinet after by-polls in three Assembly segments on Wednesday, sources said.

The reshuffle, likely to take place after the winter Assembly session or by December-end, would be the Chief Minister's strategic move to reassert his authority, despite the impending probes against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, sources said.

CM Siddaramaiah appears convinced that the investigation against him won’t affect him, said a Congress leader, adding that he wants to send a message to opponents that he won’t get bogged down under any circumstances.

The likely cabinet rejig may see the exit of six to seven ministers, making way for efficient leaders, a source said.

When questioned about the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said, “I do not know about a Cabinet reshuffle. The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has to give an answer in this regard.”

“It won’t be discussed at our levels. The news in this regard had come when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had gone to New Delhi. Everyone guessed that it would happen after December,” Parameshwara stated.

The speculation about a Cabinet reshuffle comes in the backdrop of growing aspirations of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Parameshwara to be Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s successor.

Interestingly, Opposition leaders have been predicting an early exit of Siddaramaiah due to his allegedly tarnished image.

Former PM H.D. Deve Gowda had said recently that the Congress government would collapse after the by-poll results on November 23.

State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, too, claimed that Siddaramaiah’s days were numbered and he would be asked to step down after the by-polls.