Sources said that Siddaramaiah is expected to visit Delhi again in November last week for another round of talks on the cabinet reshuffle.
Published Nov 18, 2025 | 11:28 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 18, 2025 | 11:28 AM
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Credit: x.com/siddaramaiah
Synopsis: Karnataka’s anticipated cabinet reshuffle is delayed beyond November after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge directed CM Siddaramaiah to consult state senior leaders, including DyCM DK Shivakumar. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has approved the rejig. With legislative sessions approaching and aspirants openly lobbying, final decisions await further talks, balancing factional and regional demands in the Karnataka Congress government.
The much-talked about cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka is unlikely to happen in November, as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to hold further discussions in the presence of senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and K C Venugopal.
The CM travelled to Delhi on Monday, 17, November, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss state-level issues including the ongoing agitation by sugarcane farmers in North Karnataka. He had earlier met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday, 15 November. Gandhi is said to have given the green signal for a cabinet rejig and advised the CM to consult Kharge for the final decisions.
ಎಐಸಿಸಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರು, ಹಿರಿಯ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಗಳು, ರಾಜ್ಯಸಭೆಯ ವಿಪಕ್ಷ ನಾಯಕರಾದ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಖರ್ಗೆ ಅವರನ್ನು ದೆಹಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದು ಭೇಟಿಯಾಗಿ, ಹಲವು ಮಹತ್ವದ ವಿಚಾರಗಳ ಕುರಿತು ಸಮಾಲೋಚನೆ ನಡೆಸಿದೆ. pic.twitter.com/fk44jxl2i7
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 17, 2025
The back-to-back meetings come at a time when the Congress government in Karnataka is nearing its halfway mark. In an earlier dinner meeting that the CM held with his cabinet colleagues, Siddaramaiah is learnt to have asked ministers to be prepared for changes in the Cabinet in December, subject to the high command’s decision.
While Congress leaders called the meeting with Kharge a “courtesy” meeting, sources said the CM reportedly discussed Cabinet expansion in the state.
Congress sources said that Siddaramaiah is expected to visit Delhi again in the last week of November for another round of talks on the cabinet reshuffle. With the winter session of the Karnataka legislature scheduled to begin on 8 December in Belagavi — and the Parliament session set for 1 to 19 December — state and central party leaders are likely to remain occupied through the end of the year.
Ahead of his departure to Delhi, CM Siddaramaiah met multiple party leaders — many of them aspiring for ministerial berths. The leaders who met the CM include MLAs Pradeep Eshwar, Ashok Pattan, Vijayanand Kashappanavar, along with CM’s legal advisor A S Ponnanna, and former minister K N Rajanna who resigned from his post in August days after he openly criticised his own party over alleged voter irregularities during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters, Kashappanavar said, “I am ministerial aspirant. He (CM) said we will see when the time comes. My family and I have served the Congress party for the past 50 years, so I requested him to consider me for a responsibility. I am confident that he will provide me an opportunity.”
He said he also approached Shivakumar, AICC General Secretaries Venugopal and Surjewala, and Congress President Kharge for consideration during the rejig.
Meanwhile, when asked about legislators expressing their interest for ministerial posts, Shivakumar said, “What is wrong with MLAs demanding ministerial posts? MLAs and MLCs have the right.”
He further said that those who have worked hard for the party will naturally aspire to become ministers. “We cannot say it is wrong,” said Shivakumar who returned from Delhi on Monday.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
