Karnataka CM, Siddaramaiah discuss cabinet expansion with top Cong leaders

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his predecessor Siddaramaiah on Thursday held discussions with the top Congress leadership on cabinet expansion in the state, which is likely to take place before the next state assembly session. The two leaders met former party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence and also held discussions with AICC in-charge for the state Randeep Surjewala. However, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah could not meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as he had to leave for Karnataka urgently. "The discussions have just started. These are preliminary discussions and very soon, there will be an expansion of the Karnataka cabinet," Surjewala told reporters after the meeting. "There are 20 vacancies in the Karnataka cabinet, besides that of the speaker of the state assembly. The attempt would be to fill up all the vacancies," he said. Asked when the expansion would take place, he said it is likely to happen before the state assembly session slated to begin on August 6. Karnataka PCC president B K Hariprasad was also present in the meeting. He later told reporters that the discussions would resume in a day or two as Congress chief Kharge had to leave urgently for Bengaluru. Hariprasad said whenever the Congress chief returns, the state Congress leaders would hold further discussions. After their meeting with Gandhi, Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah met Surjewala and discussed the likely candidates for inclusion in the state cabinet. The Congress government in Karnataka currently has 14 ministers against the total strength of 34. According to sources, discussions would also be held for filling up the vacancy of the speaker's post as former speaker U T Khader has become the health minister in the state. Another vacancy of deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council is also likely to be filled. Surjewala said the candidates would be selected through representation on the basis of caste, religion and region. Priority is also likely to be given to youth leaders in the expansion, the sources said, adding a woman minister is also likely to be inducted as there is no woman member in the Karnataka cabinet currently. Laxmi Hebbalkar is the likely choice in this category, the sources said. PTI SKC LUX SKC KVK KVK