DK Shivakumar dismisses cabinet speculation ahead of swearing-in today, says Congress high command to have final say

Karnataka chief minister-elect DK Shivakumar said reports circulating in the media about the composition of the new Cabinet were not official. Shivakumar, who is taking oath as next CM today, said the final list of ministers would be communicated by the Congress high command after consultations.

Shivakumar, who returned to Bengaluru from New Delhi along with outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday after holding discussions with the Congress high command on Cabinet formation, said a final decision on the names would be taken by the party leadership.

"Whatever is being reported in the media today is not official," Shivakumar told reporters at the airport, dismissing speculation over the likely ministers in his Cabinet ahead of his swearing-in as chief minister on June 3 at the Lok Bhavan here.

Shivakumar, who is the Congress state president, said the names of the ministers would be conveyed to him on Wednesday morning. "Tomorrow, after 10 am, I will receive the names," he said.

Shivakumar said discussions had already been held among the senior leaders and their views had been communicated to the party leadership.

"All of us have discussed the matter together, and we have conveyed our respective opinions. They (party high command) will take a final decision and inform us," Shivakumar said.

He added that once the names are finalised, the list would be forwarded to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for the swearing-in arrangements.

"I will send the list to Lok Bhavan. This is all I wish to say," Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah had travelled to New Delhi on Monday morning to finalise the names of ministers for the new Cabinet, with the Congress leadership holding a series of consultations ahead of the change of guard in Karnataka.

The Congress on Tuesday named outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as a member of the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body.

Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge are likely to find a place in the new cabinet, the PTI report said.

Among some of the frontrunners for a cabinet berth include Krishna Byregowda and Dinesh Gundu Rao, besides Muslim face UT Khader, who is currently the Speaker of the state assembly. Besides a woman minister is also likely to be included in the ministry.

While the party is toying with the idea of having two deputy chief ministers, a section within the party feels no deputy chief minister should be sworn in today as there are many contenders and a balancing act among various castes may not be possible with only two deputy chief ministers.

G Parameshwara and Priyank Kharge are top contenders for the deputy chief minister's post, both being from the Dalit community.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi will be present at the swearing-in along with Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress chief ministers from Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana would also attend the swearing-in, along with chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand. Some other senior opposition leaders are also likely to attend.

Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan has already reached Bengaluru, while other Congress chief ministers would reach on Wednesday.

Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress president, was officially elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka on May 30.

With Karnataka's council of ministers capped at 34 – including the chief minister – and a swelling pool of aspirants vying for limited berths, Shivakumar faces one of his first and most consequential tests as chief minister-designate.

(With PTI inputs)