Congress Finalises Karnataka Cabinet as Shivakumar Prepares to take Oath

Karnataka Chief Minister-designate D K Shivakumar returned to Bengaluru on Tuesday following deliberations in New Delhi to dismiss media speculation regarding his incoming cabinet.

Shivakumar will take the oath as chief minister on Wednesday, June 3 at 4:05 p.m. at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru, according to PTI.

"Whatever is being reported in the media today is not official," Shivakumar told PTI at the airport. He clarified that the Congress high command would communicate the final list of ministers after consultations.

"Tomorrow, after 10 a.m., I will receive the names," Shivakumar told PTI.

Once finalised, the party will forward the list to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to facilitate the swearing-in arrangements, PTI reported. "I will send the list to Lok Bhavan. This is all I wish to say," Shivakumar said to PTI. The upcoming ceremony brings scrutiny to the final cabinet list, the contenders vying for spots, and the internal leadership dynamics.

Cabinet Speculation And Contenders

The initial cabinet is likely to be small, featuring 13 ministers, including several young faces, according to PTI. The state's council of ministers is capped at 34, leaving a vast pool of aspirants competing for limited berths. Aspirants had reached the national capital in numbers, with former ministers and legislators seeking audiences with both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah to press their claims.

Outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge are likely to find a place in the new government, PTI reported. Other frontrunners for cabinet berths include Krishna Byregowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao, and current assembly Speaker U T Khader. The party also expects to include a woman minister. Party sources indicate the new cabinet is likely to be a blend of familiar faces and fresh entrants, with careful attention paid to caste arithmetic, regional balance and loyalty equations -- particularly towards the Siddaramaiah camp.

Internal debates continue regarding the deputy chief minister post. G Parameshwara and Priyank Kharge, both from the Dalit community, are the top contenders, according to PTI.

While the party is toying with the idea of having two deputy chief ministers, a section within the party said no deputy chief minister should be sworn in on Wednesday, as there are many contenders and a balancing act among various castes may not be possible with only two deputy chief ministers. However, Shivakumar is not keen on having a deputy chief minister to avoid creating another power centre, according to PTI.