Karnataka Chief Minister consults Rahul and other Central leaders on Nagendra and other issues

Amid the Opposition demand for the resignation of Planning and Statistics Minister B. Nagendra, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar met the party’s Central leadership, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, in Delhi on Thursday, in which the Minister’s issue also figured.

However, with party’s general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal away in Keralam for Onam celebrations, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge telling reporters in Kalaburagi that he was not aware of any changes, speculation over the Minister’s fate continued.

The Governor is learnt to have sought legal opinion on a request for prosecution sanction by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Responding to queries around political developments in the State, Mr. Kharge firmly dismissed speculation regarding an imminent Cabinet reshuffle or organisational changes. He clarified that decisions concerning ministerial appointments, portfolio reallocations, or cabinet changes fall strictly under the purview of the Central leadership.

“Any inclusion to or removal from the cabinet will have to be done with my consultation. I have received no proposal on the matter,” he said.

The party’s assessment on Mr. Nagendra’s issue was that the Governor was yet to accord sanction for prosecution in the case of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and former BJP Minister M.P. Renukacharya among others, and that the BJP was “playing politics” to bring down Mr. Nagendra to protect the interest of its own ST leader and former Minister B. Sriramulu.

According to party sources, the meeting also revolved around the induction of a woman into the Cabinet, and continued pressure by legislators to be inducted. Four women are being considered for one possible slot in the Cabinet, and various combinations are being seen, sources said.

Meanwhile, a group of about 10 Congress legislators will be meeting the Central leadership on Friday seeking “honourable posts” according to their seniority, when heads of boards and corporations are nominated.

A meeting has been scheduled with Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday morning. While some of the legislators are learnt to have left on Thursday, a few will leave on Friday. Among those part of the group include Ashok Pattan, A.C. Srinivas, Kone Reddy, Basanagouda Daddal and Hampangouda Badarali among others.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B.K. Hariprasad has also been vocal about recasting the boards and corporations appointments to accommodate party workers and those who have not had any opportunity.

“We are not looking at Cabinet berths since it is a closed chapter. We will seek posts that will befit our seniority and some random board or corporation will not be accepted,” Mr. Pattan told presspersons in Bengaluru. He said that he was no longer interested in being a Chief Whip since he had been in the post for eight years. “Despite being a senior, I lost out on the caste and sub caste calculations.”

He said that there were 23 Congress legislators, who neither became Ministers or headed boards and corporations. “The party should accommodate such legislators.”

All eyes will be on the Karnataka Backward Classes Federation convention being organised in Bengaluru on September 6 for the political messaging that could emerge from the platform.

Sources close to former Chief Minister and Backward Classes leader Siddaramaiah confirmed his participation in the event being organised to mark the silver jubilee of the federation.

“Invitations have been given to all backward classes leaders across political spectrum. There is no politics in this,” insisted a leader.