K'taka CM, Dy CM to visit Delhi on May 24, likely to discuss cabinet expansion with Cong leadership
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will leave for New Delhi on Wednesday evening, where they are expected to meet the Congress high command and discuss cabinet expansion, and allocation of portfolios to existing Ministers.
As per the Chief Minister's official schedule, Siddaramaiah will be leaving for Delhi by a special flight at 6:30 pm, and will halt in the national capital tonight.
According to Shivakumar's office, the Deputy CM will accompany Siddaramaiah.
Details of the Delhi visit has not been shared with media, but party sources said they are expected to meet Congress leadership to discuss allocation of portfolios to Ministers and cabinet expansion.
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively along with eight legislators as Ministers on May 20. Portfolios have not been allocated to the Ministers since then.
According to Congress sources, the party high command approved the first list of eight ministers, against the earlier plan of inducting a much higher number of legislators into the cabinet, as there were allegedly differences between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over some names, during the discussions held in New Delhi last week, ahead of swearing-in.
Allocation of portfolios to the new Ministers and expanding the cabinet with the right combinations that will strike a balance in having representatives from all communities, regions, factions, and also from among the old and new generation of legislators, is the daunting task ahead of Siddaramaiah.
With the sanctioned strength of the Karnataka Cabinet being 34, there are too many aspirants for ministerial berths.
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NDA to boycott Feb 5 TN bypoll, says BJP leader Annamalai
The BJP-led NDA has decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll scheduled for February 5 and would focus on dethroning the ruling DMK in the hustings next year, the saffron party's state unit said on Sunday.
The BJP's announcement virtually makes the election a no-contest as the main opposition AIADMK and the DMDK have already announced boycotting the byelections necessitated by the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan. The DMK has nominated VC Chandrakumar on behalf of its-led bloc, which also has the Congress in the alliance.
BJP TN chief K Annamalai said the upcoming elections were a “byelection for a byelection”, following the bypoll held here in 2022. He recalled there were accusations of the ruling DMK then "confining" people at designated places.
The NDA faced the DMK violating poll rules due to the "arrogance" of being the ruling party.
"The coming 2026 Assembly polls are one meant to remove the DMK (from the ruling saddle), and the NDA is moving towards that target and does not want to allow the DMK to confine people like cattle once again," he said in a statement.
"All leaders of the NDA who wish for people's welfare, after detailed consultation, have decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll. Our target is to remove the DMK in the 2026 elections and give the NDA's good governance to people," Annamalai said.
The state has been pushed to a "dark period" with no safety for various sections of society and the DMK government was an "anti-people" one where law and order has also failed, the former IPS officer alleged.
NDA constituents in the state include Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
Incidentally, the AIADMK that was a part of the NDA in 2022 had fielded its nominee in that year's bypoll to Erode East seat but lost to Congress' Elangovan, who faced the elections following the death of his son and local MLA E Thirumahan Everaa.
